Yu-Gi-Oh! DT
by dtaoa
Summary: This is an original story with OCs and original cards that takes place a century after Yu-Gi-Oh! 5d's. Eric Lambert is a duelist who dreamed of becoming a professional duelist until his fateful encounter with an evil organization. With the help of new friends, Eric joins the battle to save the earth, discovering his own self-identify and unveiling a sinister plot with dark roots.
1. Chapter 1

Yu-Gi-Oh! D.T.

Chapter 1: Creeping Shadows, A Light Emerges

November 11, 3050 9:17 PM

The man in the black cloak knocked a helpless woman down, having just beaten her in a duel. He was good at dueling, always was. That's why he joined the organization in the first place: so that he could use his skills to the fullest. He had one goal and one goal only: to be the strongest man in the world. The man in black believed that the best way to secure this position would be to lead the strongest organization in the world and to control everything with him as undisputed ruler. Since he had joined the Dark Chasers fifteen years ago, the man had come a long way by doing exactly what he was doing to the woman before him. Striking his whimpering opponent down, the man in black picked up her deck and scanned it for rare cards.

This woman wasn't an opponent he was ordered to defeat. His primary job was to defeat duelists assigned to him by his boss. However, when he didn't receive a specific request from the boss, he spent his free time picking out duelists he deemed worthy and dueling them for their best cards. This wasn't his job, but in a way, he felt like it was his life's mission. The stronger the opponent, the more fulfilling the victory.

Everyday, the man travelled from place to place around the perimeter he was in charge of, challenging any duelists he heard were strong. The idea was that strong duelists had to have strong cards, so by defeating them and obtaining their cards, he could not only prove his superiority but also become stronger himself. Yet, more often than not, he ended up being disappointed by opponents he he found he could easily beat in one turn. It had been almost a year since he added a new card to his deck, and even that card was taken from someone he had beaten in two turns instead of one.

Sighing deeply, the man in black tossed the woman's cards on the ground. Like most of his arbitrary victims, her deck was full of junk cards. Stepping over these "trash cards," or so the group had called them, he mounted his duel runner and drove off into the night, seeking his next victim.

November 12, 3050 8:42 AM

Early in the morning, Eric Lambert, a twenty year-old orphan, strolled down to the local convenience store to buy a bottle of iced tea as he did every other day. He was relatively short on money because there wasn't much work lately, but that didn't stop him. Eric wasn't intelligent or athletic, but he never relied on others to help him survive. He insisted on being able to support himself with his efforts alone, as he hated the idea of others taking pity on him. Unfortunately, as a result of this stubborn decision and his lack of profitable talents, Eric had only managed to find unsteady employment in a variety of menial jobs, yielding barely enough to afford a cheap apartment in a ghetto neighborhood.

Due to his solitary nature, Eric had little to no friends. But in his life, he had never desired any friendship aside from that of his cards, which still didn't exactly count because he viewed them as an extension of himself. That's right: the center of Eric's life had always been Duel Monsters. In school, he found the utmost joy in dueling against his classmates; they were only classmates because Eric's obstinate insistence in being alone prevented them from being anything more. Their only interest in him was his impressive winning streak, but even that ultimately furthered his isolation by breeding jealousy.

Nonetheless, Eric's dueling skills not only got him into Duel Academy on scholarship, but also allowed him to graduate a year early. Unfortunately, he failed to find a sponsor who would fund his professional career because they deemed him too unappealing to the masses. Yet, this didn't stop him from pursuing his ambitions. It had always been his dream to one day own a duel runner, to ride down the lane with the wind rustling through his silky, black hair. Eric's highest aim was the pro league, where he could face off against the best of the best. But until then, he decided to save up his earnings from his menial labor.

As he approached the cash register, Eric came face to face with the owner of the store, a middle-aged man named Moria Gaige. When their eyes met, the owner furrowed his brow as the wrinkles on his bony face became more apparent. Eric had never done anything to insult or harm Gaige, but for some reason, he was disliked by him. It wasn't particularly surprising since Eric had few traits to admire and many to look down upon, but Gaige's aversion to him was different from that of his previous classmates. It was as though he had an inherent dislike for him, an unjustified hostility that seemed to stem from Eric's very existence. Yet, Eric enjoyed their relationship. Gaige didn't ignore him like the others. In fact, he constantly badgered him about a plethora of things: his appearance, his employment, his lack of friends, and more. Today was no different.

"I see you're low on cash as always," Gaige sighed as he scanned the iced tea.

"Economy's tough nowadays you know?" Eric said, attempting a smile as he pulled back his overgrown bangs.

"What does a brat like you know about economics?" the man scoffed. "Considering your unsteady employment, I'd say you never went to school!"

"But I did," Eric rebutted. "I got my diploma from Duel Academy."

"Right," Gaige grunted. "You were a Slifer Red, right? That just shows how low of a rank you had and how bad your dueling must be."

"Want to duel me and find out?" Eric asked, annoyed that his dueling skills were called into question.

"No way," Gaige sneered. "If I wasted my time on even one duel with you, I'd lose sales equal to triple what you have in your wallet."

"At least I have enough to buy this," Eric smirked as he sipped his iced tea.

"Forget the tea," Gaige frowned. "From what I've seen, you'll be lucky to even pay your rent this month."

"We'll get there when we get there," Eric chuckled weakly, exiting the store with shoulders sagging.

Right outside, Eric noticed a child crying on the sidewalk. It was a small, brown-haired boy with his arms wrapped around his knees, crouching over a puddle of his own snot and tears. Eric tried to forget about getting involved. He didn't want to waste his savings on something to calm the kid down but in the end, he couldn't help himself. He couldn't ignore a despairing child, especially one that reminded him so much of his old, pathetic self. Eric walked over, took the boy by the hand, brought him into the store, and bought him a vanilla ice-cream cone, which proved to be a suitable balm as the child stopped crying instantaneously.

"What's your name?" inquired Eric.

"I-I'm Jack," he sniffled with cream-smothered lips. "And you are?"

"Leaving," Eric grunted. "Go back to your mom, kid."

"I-I can't," Jack said with a suddenly downcast expression.

"What do you mean you can't?" Eric frowned.

"My mom," Jack whimpered. "She-she's been captured by the Dark Chasers!"

"The Dark Chasers?" asked a confused Eric.

"Yeah," the boy said bitterly. "They're this gang that goes around and steals people's rare cards. They think they can do anything they want in this city."

"A duel gang, huh?" Eric sighed. "Not surprising in this dump of a city."

"You've gotta help me!" Jack cried. "I can't live without my mom!"

That hit a nerve for Eric. Having lost both his parents at a young age, Eric had lived by himself for most of his life, surviving without the support or encouragement of any parental figures. Compared to the life he had lived, Eric thought that this kid losing his mom was nothing, that he was a coward for crying and doing nothing about it himself. But Eric wasn't the kind of person who would say that. He believed in his own strength, but that strength derived from the pain of his past. He couldn't expect someone who never experienced loss or grief to have that kind of strength. Rather, he wouldn't want someone to have to experience it, let alone a child. To him, this was an opportunity to spare someone of his pain.

"Please save my mom!" Jack sobbed. "I'll give anything to get her back!"

"Alright," Eric said, attempting a smile. "Meet me here tonight at 9. I'll get your mother back."

The only problem was he didn't know what he would do. Sure he could beat them in a duel but he couldn't win in a fist fight. Eric wasn't afraid of getting beaten up, but what he feared most was losing his cards, the cards that meant more to him than his own life. The cards that his late father left for him. If he didn't go, he would guarantee his and his cards' safety. Yet, he couldn't just ignore the boy after learning about his plight. After an hour of head-scratching, Eric finally decided that he would just go and hope for the best.

November 11, 3050 9:00 PM

At 9 o'clock sharp, Jack arrived outside the convenience store.

"Ready?" Eric asked.

"Yeah," Jack replied.

"Alright," Eric said. "Let's go."

"Um," Jack mumbled, "thanks again for helping me."

"No need to thank me," Eric smirked.

_Why?_ Eric asked himself again. _Why am I helping this kid?_

He had no connection to this boy whatsoever, and helping him not only placed his life at risk but also yielded no benefit for him. Yet, he was compelled to help this teary-faced, snot-nosed brat rescue his mother. Sure, Eric originally thought he was trying to save this boy from going through the same Hell as him, but his ego certainly wasn't large enough to view himself as a hero of justice. But at the same time, receiving someone's feelings of gratitude wasn't bad either.

Eric's conflicted feelings led him to seek guidance from his father and ask himself what he would do in this situation. It wasn't a second later that the found the answer he was looking for. Like his father, he wanted to become a beacon of light. He wanted to set an example for others to follow, to show them the right way to live: with respect and virtue. Turning to look at Jack, Eric smiled fondly at the thought that his actions today could inspire this boy to one day follow in his footsteps, just as his father had done for him.

"J-just in case anything happens to you," Jack suddenly stuttered, "at least tell me your name."

"It's Eric," he replied with a grin. "Eric Lambert."

Feeling embarrassingly good about himself, Eric followed Jack to where the Dark Chasers' hideout was supposed to be. After a good ten minutes of walking, they arrived at a small, isolated warehouse that smelled of rust and urine. Trying his best to ignore the stench, Eric peeked through the window and caught a glimpse of a large man wearing a black leather jacket, drinking with the rest of his gang in their den of sinful frivolity.

He didn't see Jack's mother anywhere, so he guessed that she was being held in a back room. Reassuring himself, Eric decided that the safest and most efficient move was to sneak in, rescue his mother, and leave without being caught. However, just as Eric was climbing over the nearest window, he felt a push on his back. Taken completely by surprise, Eric fell inside the building, landing on his back with a loud thud. As he looked up, the room became silent and all eyes, ravenous and hostile, fell on him.

"I got you another one, boss," Jack said from behind.

"Good job, kid," the large man laughed. "Keep this up and I just might make you my right-hand man."

"What is this?" asked a puzzled Eric.

"You've been tricked, dumbass," Jack giggled. "I lured you here so we can rob you of that rare card we heard you had."

"I trusted you," Eric said through gritted teeth. "You betrayed me!"

"Just shut up and hand over your cards," Jack snickered. "Unless you want to get hurt."

"I'm not giving in without a fight!" Eric shouted.

"A fight?" Jack shrieked with laughter. "You can't fight an ant!"

"That's not what I meant," Eric said, turning to the large man. "I challenge you to a duel!"

"Why should our boss duel you?" Jack sneered. "We could just beat the shit out of you and take your cards."

"Because we're duelists," Eric declared. "Because we settle things by dueling."

A chill went down Eric's spine as he looked into the eyes of over a dozen hoodlums, glaring viciously at him with blood-thirsty grins on their smug faces. Yet, Eric didn't falter. Although he was afraid, he did nothing but glare back, holding his ground and refusing to surrender despite his seemingly hopeless situation. The room was silent for the next minute.

"Not bad," the large man said, suddenly bursting into laughter. "It's been a while since I've met such a feisty guy. I like you. Alright, let's duel. If you win, I'll let you free. But if you lose, all your cards are mine!"

"Bring it on," Eric replied sternly. "We'll settle his fair and square."

"Let me introduce myself," the man said as he threw a duel disk at Eric. "I'm Hammer, as in the one that's gonna nail you down so hard, you'll never see the morning light!"

Upon hearing that name and that threat, Eric found himself smirking. He had never met anyone who bore such a ridiculous name and who was actually proud of it. Yet, no matter how humorous the name Hammer was, there had to have been a reason why he was given that name, and that reason suddenly made Eric a little more nervous about this duel. He had to be really strong. On one hand, he was slightly intimidated by how powerful this man could be, but on the other hand, he was excited by the prospect of dueling a skilled opponent. Smiling in anticipation, Eric strapped on the standard issue white-colored duel disk he was given and nodded his head to indicate that he was ready.

"Duel!" both said simultaneously, their duel disks flashing once to signal the beginning of the battle.

"I'll start things off," Hammer said assertively. "I summon Iron Knuckler in attack mode!"

A muscular warrior rose from the ground, pounding its metal knuckles together tauntingly.

(Iron Knuckler: Level 3/EARTH/Warrior/ATK-1600 DEF-1200/Effect-When this card attacks, you can Special Summon an "Iron" monster from your hand)

"Next, I play the Continuous Spell Iron Pressure!" Hammer announced.

(Iron Pressure: Each time an "Iron" monster is Special Summoned, deal 800 points of damage to your opponent for each monster that was summoned)

"Iron Pressure deals you 800 damage when I Special Summon an Iron monster," Hammer explained. "I'll leave you with a card face down. Turn end!"

_Iron monsters, huh?_ Eric thought to himself.

He had seen them countless times before at Duel Academy. They were an archetype that a lot of rich kids used because of their raw stats and strong effects. He wasn't surprised that someone named Hammer would use such a power-based deck. From his past duels, Eric knew that Iron monsters were very formidable because they allowed their users to summon high ATK monsters and deal a great deal of damage at surprisingly low costs. However, Eric wasn't worried; despite the power and rarity advantage that Iron decks possessed, he had never in his life lost against one.

"My turn," Eric declared. "I summon Moon Samurai in attack mode."

A portal appeared beside Eric, revealing a samurai clad in blue armor.

(Moon Samurai: Level 4/LIGHT/Warrior/ATK-1000 DEF-1600/Effect-When this card is Normal Summoned, you can discard one card from your hand to increase its ATK by 800)

"I activate Moon Samurai's effect," Eric said. "I discard a card to have Moon Samurai gain 800 ATK. Moon Samurai, attack Iron Knuckler!"

Moon Samurai charged at Iron Knuckler, skillfully avoiding a punch before slashing it in half. As he watched his monster being shattered into pieces, Hammer gave a rattled grunt. (4000/3800)

"Turn end," Eric said, pleased that he had drawn first blood.

"Don't think you've won just yet," Hammer smirked. "I activate the Spell card Iron Cycle. I discard 1 card from my hand to Special Summon Iron Knuckler from my Graveyard! Revive, Iron Knuckler!"

A chain flew from Hammer's duel disk into the ground, pulling the armed fighter from the depths of Hell.

(Discard one "Iron" monster to Special Summon one from the Graveyard)

"Now, I summon Iron Gloves in attack mode!" Hammer grinned. "My knuckler will equip these gloves and increase its ATK by 500!"

As Hammer described, a large pair of metal boxing gloves materialized onto Iron Knuckler's fists, raising its ATK stat.

(Iron Gloves: Level 2/EARTH/Machine/ATK-0 DEF-1000/Effect: This card can only be summoned when there is a Warrior monster on your field. Once per turn, you can equip or unequip this card to a monster. The equipped monster gains 500 ATK)

"Iron Knuckler," Hammer commanded, "attack Moon Samurai!"

Iron Knuckler dashed towards Moon Samurai, throwing a heavy punch that broke through the swordsman's katana and blasted a gory hole through his chest. Eric scowled, first at the sight of his monster being destroyed, and then at the obnoxious cheering of Hammer's gang. (3700/3800)

"Since Iron Knuckler attacked," Hammer chuckled in triumph, "I can Special Summon Iron Pirate in attack mode!"

Yet another burly man appeared onto the field, this time a pirate with an iron hook and a metal peg leg.

(Iron Pirate: Level 2/EARTH/Warrior/ATK-1000 DEF-900/Effect-When this card deals damage to your opponent, gain Life Points equal to twice the damage)

"Now," Hammer laughed, "since I Special Summoned a monster, you take 800 from Iron Pressure!"

A chain flew from Hammer's card, piercing through Eric's chest and causing another loud uproar from the fans. Eric flinched from the visual effect as a bead of sweat rolled down his face, reflecting his concern. (2900/3800)

"How do you like that?" Hammer cackled. "This is my killer Iron Chain Combo. No one's ever beaten these super rare cards!"

"You think you'll win just because you have rare cards?" Eric growled. "It's going to take a lot more than rare cards to beat me."

"We'll see about that," Hammer smirked. "Iron Pirate, direct attack! Iron Pirate will convert double the damage into Life Points!"

Iron Pirate stabbed Eric in the gut and jumped back with a sack of treasure. Another cacophonous cheer. (1900/5800)

"Turn end," Hammer said with a pompous grin.

"My turn!" said Eric, gritting his teeth in agitation. "I summon Tuner monster Lunar Soul!"

A luminous sphere of amorphous energy blinked onto the field, shimmering softly.

(Lunar Soul: Level 2/LIGHT/Psychic/ATK-0 DEF-0/Effect: When this card is summoned, you can play a Trap card from your hand)

"By Lunar Soul's effect," Eric explained, "I can activate a Trap card from my hand. I activate Soul Resurrection, allowing me to Special Summon a Level 4 or lower Light monster from my Graveyard! Come back, Moon Samurai!"

A gaseous glowing substance materialized onto the field, transforming to take the shape of the fallen samurai.

(Special Summon a level 4 or lower Light monster from your Graveyard)

"So you brought that thing back for me to pound again," Hammer jeered. "Summon all the trash monsters you want. I'll just destroy them all."

"You know," Eric frowned, "I hate bastards like you. You think you can win just because you have rare cards that are strong by themselves. You have no respect for other cards because you judge their value by their rarity."

"No shit," Hammer grinned. "I don't need any of those weak, trash cards you use. Everyone knows that rare cards are the strongest. That's why I'm kicking your ass so hard right now."

"Nothing is worthless," Eric scowled, furrowing his brow. "A strong duelist isn't someone with strong cards. It's someone who can bring out the potential of their cards no matter how weak or how common they are! That's what it means to be a true duelist!"

"Bullshit," Hammer sneered. "Even if you say that, your little trash monsters can't do anything to mine."

"Then I'll show you," Eric said with a fierce glow in his eyes. "I'll show you how strong my so-called 'trash monsters' are. I'm tuning level 4 Moon Samurai with level 2 Lunar Soul. The shining moon guides all to greatness. Glisten brightly in your destiny! Synchro Summon! Sparkle, Lunar Knight!"

The two monsters transformed into a pair of shining rings, which twirled around the room for a few seconds before crossing over each other. These rings spun with increasing speed until they formed a shimmering ball of incandescent light, which burst in an explosion of blinding rays. When vision was restored, what stood before Eric was a fully armored knight wielding a glistening lance. Every member of the gang gasped in awe at the sheer sight of this gallant knight clad in shining armor, including Hammer himself. It wasn't until a minute later that Hammer regained his composure.

(Lunar Knight: Level 6/LIGHT/Warrior/ATK-1800 DEF-1400/Effect-This card can attack until your opponent controls no monsters. This card gains 100 ATK for each monster in your Graveyard)

"Ha!" Hammer mocked. "Are you stupid? You tried to show off some fancy Synchro Summon but all you did was bring out a monster that's weaker than mine. What a joke!"

"Don't be too sure," Eric rebutted. "Lunar Knight gains 100 ATK for each monster in my Graveyard."

"So what?" Hammer smirked. "You only have 2 monsters in your grave, so your monster only has 2000 ATK. That's not enough to beat Iron Knuckler."

"I think I forgot to mention something," Eric grinned. "That card I discarded earlier by Moon Samurai's effect was the Trap card Late Offering. By removing it from play, I can discard 2 monsters. So now, I count 4 monsters in my grave."

"What?" exclaimed Hammer.

Raising its lance in the air, the knight in blue armor collected spheres of light energy at the tip and used it to enhance its weapon's power.

(If this card is in your Graveyard, you can remove it from play to send 2 monsters from your hand to your Graveyard)

"Now Lunar Knight has a total ATK of 2200," Eric said. "Lunar Knight, attack Iron Knuckler, Shining Lance!"

The armored knight lunged at the knuckled fighter, who shielded himself with his metal gloves. However, a bright light flashed from the warrior's lance, shattering Iron Gloves into a million pieces. (1900/5700)

"Iron Gloves protects Iron Knuckler from being destroyed," Hammer grinned.

"Too bad," Eric countered, "because my knight can attack every one of your monsters until you have nothing left! Shining Lance Barrage!"

"No way!" Hammer shouted, his eyes widening in disbelief.

Leaping off from its first strike, Lunar Knight spun around and slashed Iron Knuckler in half, obliterating it instantly. Without missing a beat, it then kicked off its back foot and lunged at Iron Pirate, who was skewered in once stab. In a matter of seconds, Hammer's field was laid to waste. (1900/3900)

"Don't tell me," Jack said excitedly from inside the crowd, "this is that rare card of his!"

This exclamation resulted in a bunch of chatters from the crowd, which first gossiped worriedly and then began laughing merrily.

"How is it, boss?" one of the laughed. "Think it'll fit in with your deck?"

"No way!" another chimed in. "I want to have it! I haven't gotten a new card in ages!"

These comments struck a nerve in Eric, who trembled with rage at the despicable thoughts entertained by the gang members. Although he was agitated by their noisy cheering, what really pissed him off was the fact that they talked like his card was already theirs. They treated cards like they were simple commodities that could be traded left and right, with absolutely no respect for the bonds between duelists and their cards. As he simmered with rage, Eric cemented a thought in his mind that should've been clear from the very beginning: this was the worst pack of human scum he'd ever seen. Yet, despite his fury and disdain, Eric managed to take a deep breath and focus back on the duel.

"I set 1 card face down," Eric said, furrowing his brow in disgust. "Turn end."

"That's a pretty nice card you have there," snickered Hammer. "It'd be a shame to let such a strong card rest in such unworthy hands."

"Yeah," Eric said spitefully, "which is why I'll win this duel, so it won't fall in your filthy hands."

"Cheeky brat," Hammer scoffed as he spit on the ground. "My turn. I activate the Trap card Monster Drainer, letting me draw 2 cards for every monster I choose to discard. I discard 1 monster so I can draw 2 cards."

(Draw 2 cards for each monster you discard)

As he had described, Hammer tossed one card into his Graveyard and plucked two more cards from the top of his deck.

"Heh!" Hammer cackled after seeing his draws. "You're in for it now! I play the Spell card Iron Calling, which lets me Special Summon a level 4 or lower Iron monster from my deck. I summon Iron Twins!"

A heavy metal cylinder abruptly dropped from the sky, with a door opening to reveal a pair of identical iron robots.

(When your opponent controls a monster and you control no monsters, you can Special Summon a level 4 or lower "Iron" monster from your deck)

(Iron Twins: Level 4/EARTH/Warrior/ATK-1800 DEF-600/ Effect: You can tribute this card to Special Summon 2 Iron Twin Tokens: Level 2/ EARTH/Warrior/ATK-900 DEF-300)

"Now," Hammer snickered, "you take 800 from Iron Pressure!"

"I activate Damage Reverse!" Eric countered. "I return all the effect damage I take back to you!"

(All effect damage you would take this turn is dealt to your opponent instead)

As the chains reemerged and shot towards Eric, a magical barrier formed around him, shielding him and reflecting the chains back at Hammer, who gave a tiny yelp. (1900/3100)

"What the hell did you do?" Hammer scowled.

"You think you can win so easily just because your cards are rare?" Eric said scornfully. "It was your mistake to have ever thought that. It's going to be your own rare cards that make you lose!"

"You think you've beaten me just because you stopped Iron Pressure?" Hammer sneered. "Unlike you, I've still got points to spare. I sacrifice Iron Twins to Special Summon 2 Iron Twin Tokens!"

The iron robot dismantled itself into a plethora of nuts and bolts, reassembling moments later into two smaller robots.

"I hope you realize you're going to lose more Life Points," Eric said.

"I don't care," Hammer smirked.

For each twin summoned, a chain was shot at Eric and sent back to Hammer, who snarled quietly but still seemed confident. (1900/1500)

"I then sacrifice the tokens to tribute summon Iron Hammerer!" Hammer declared.

A gargantuan mass of muscle and bone descended heavily from the sky, landing atop the two robots and crushing them under its obnoxious weight. It swung its gigantic metal hammer in circles as if to taunt its opponent, its grotesque face only contributing to the taunt. As he stared at the face of the atrocious ace monster of the Iron deck, Eric regretted belittling the gang leader's name, as this monster was undoubtedly its owner's namesake.

(Iron Hammerer: Level 7/EARTH/Warrior/ATK-3000 DEF-2800/Effect-When this card attacks, your opponent cannot activate any Trap cards. If this card attacks a defense position monster, deal piercing damage)

"Iron Hammerer," Hammer chuckled, "attack Lunar Knight! Colossal Slam!"

The ugly titan unleashed a deafening roar as it lifted its tremendous hammer and crushed Lunar Knight, leaving a large crater on the ground. Eric gritted his teeth from seeing his monster being destroyed, his annoyance increasing with the crowd's cheering volume. (1100/1500)

"Turn end," Hammer chuckled, satisfied with his turn. "Now you see the difference between my rare cards and your trash monsters."

"Like I said," Eric snarled, "you won't beat me with your rare cards. In fact, it's because you're using only rare cards that you're going to lose."

"Quit your yapping and make your last pathetic turn," Hammer said with a devious grin.

"My turn!" shouted Eric, suddenly beaming with confidence. "I'm going to win this duel and I'm going to use my 'trash monsters' to do it. I activate the Quick Spell Time Revolution, allowing me to Special Summon 3 monsters from my Graveyard. I summon Moon Samurai and the two monsters I discarded earlier: Moonlight Boxer and Flash Gunner Luna!"

A tremendous clock appeared onto the field, its hands spinning at increasing speeds until it took the appearance of a portal. Emerging from this portal were the fallen samurai, a muscular boxer clad in light blue garbs, and a female assassin wielding two laser guns.

(Special Summon up to 3 level 4 or lower monsters from your Graveyard. This turn, you cannot summon any more monsters or declare an attack)

(Moonlight Boxer: Level 3/LIGHT/Warrior/ATK-1700 DEF-800/Effect-Once per duel, you can Special Summon a monster this card destroyed to your side of the field)

(Flash Gunner Luna: Level 3/LIGHT/Spellcaster/ATK-1300 DEF-200/ Effect: You can return 1 monster from your field to your hand to deal 500 points of damage to your opponent)

"Summon as many small fry monsters as you want," Hammer laughed. "You still can't beat Iron Hammerer!"

"Except I don't intend to," Eric announced boldly. "You think you're going to win just because you a have a rare beater on your field, but that's exactly why you're going to lose."

"I have no idea what you're yapping on about," Hammer chuckled.

"Then pay closer attention," Eric replied scornfully. "Flash Gunner Lunar's effect is to deal 500 damage for each monster I return to my hand. Do the math! I return all three of my monsters to deal you a grand total of 1500 damage!"

"What?" screeched Hammer in shock. "Impossible! I can't lose! Not to your trash monsters! Not with my rare cards!"

"I've been telling you the whole time," Eric glared. "Dueling takes more than just rare cards. You can win with any card as long as you use it right. A duelist like you who judges the value of a card by its rarity can never beat me. In fact, you don't even deserve to be called a duelist."

Eric's monsters formed into three masses of energy, which assaulted a terror-stricken Hammer one by one, obliterating his pride along with his Life Points. (1100/0)

The field cleared as the gang members gazed at their leader, whose eyes were lost in the shame of defeat. The sound of gasps and whispers filled the room as they stood shocked by the sight of their boss, whom they had revered as the strongest among them, kneeling on the ground with a lifeless expression. Whatever respect or influence Hammer had was completely gone.

Satisfied with his victory, Eric started to leave when suddenly, a man punched him with a hook to the face. Eric fell to the floor with a heavy grunt, snot drooling from his nostrils and blood rolling down the side of his mouth. Picking himself back up, he stared at them angrily as he realized his mistake. He was naive for thinking that he could waltz in, beat them in a duel, and walk out in one piece. They had never intended to let him leave in the first place, and now that he had shamed their leader right in front of them, they had even less of a reason to let him go. As Eric slowly backed away from this pack of starving hyenas, he felt the icy chill of fear seeping into him, coldly running through his veins.

_So this is how they do things_, Eric thought to himself. _So these are the Dark Chasers._


	2. Chapter 2

Yu-Gi-Oh! D.T.

Chapter 2: Mysterious Stranger, Emergence of a Black Flame

November 12, 3050 9:37 PM

The man in the black cloak gazed deeply at the bright, full moon. Its shine was compelling, pulling him in and showing him a light glimmering in the darkness, like his mentor once did. He was young at the time, still living with his parents. His mentor had taught him all there was to know about dueling, from the basics to every cheap trick in the book. His deck was the very essence of the moon, confident and shining until the very last moment.

And when that moment came, his world turned black. The man in black knew that a shining light couldn't last forever. Every now and then, there occurred an eclipse, eliminating every source of the light in the night sky and shrouding the Earth in utter darkness. It seemed almost ironic that his mentor disappeared on the very night of a lunar eclipse.

The man shook off the disturbing memory and returned to his duel runner with a cheeseburger in his hand. He carefully unwrapped the paper covering and took a bite. Since he was a child, he had never liked the taste of fast food. Maybe it was because the last burger he had ever liked was one made by his mom.

He broke off this line of thought as well. With everything he'd done, the last thing the man wanted to think about was his tragic past. But as of late, it was the only thing on his mind. Sighing heavily, he quickly finished off his burger and drove into the darkness of the night, trying to empty his mind of everything.

November 12, 3050 10:03 PM

Eric stood up wincing from the stinging pain on his cheek. He glanced into the faces of each and every member of the Dark Chasers. They were smiling wickedly, the kind of smile he hated the most.

"What's the big deal?" asked Eric. "You promised you would let me go if I won."  
"Why not stay a while?" asked a skinny teen. "Those rare cards of yours must be lonely."  
"You don't want to do this," Eric said with a slight quiver.  
"Let's get him."

Fearing for his life, Eric ran through the front door and dashed at his top speed. He never looked back and he didn't care where he was going, as long as it was away from the Dark Chasers. He ran as far as his legs could take him, but after a couple minutes, they completely gave out. He wheezed loudly as he slowly came to a stop and made a last ditch effort to save himself by leaping behind a pile of trash cans in a nearby alleyway. Expecting them to catch up to him at any second, Eric closed his eyes, praying with all his might that they wouldn't find him.

Minutes passed but aside from an occasional rustle from the night wind, nothing happened. It was then that he realized that they had probably lost him. Sighing of relief, Eric fell backwards, breathing heavily as he lay on the cold, hard concrete.

_These guys are the real deal_, he thought.

Eric mentally patted himself on the back for running because he knew he didn't stand a chance in a fist fight; he had never won a single one in his life. In kindergarten, he used to always get his cards stolen by his peers. They knew he was too weak to fight back, so they freely picked on him, first for his cards and then for entertainment. Looking in retrospect, Eric thought that it was perhaps because of his preference to keep to himself. Perhaps he came off as stuck-up and pretentious when he repeatedly won duels without ever acknowledging his opponents as friends. Perhaps he had brought this upon himself.

In spite of Eric's unpopularity, however, there was one student from another class who actually came up to him one time and returned all of his cards. Apparently, he had fought the bullies and taken his cards back with the intention of returning them to Eric. This was the single nicest thing that anyone had ever done for him, enough for the solitary Eric to regard this stranger as his very first friend. From that point on, they spent everyday dueling each other, with the bullies never touching him again in fear of his friend. Unfortunately, this period of time that Eric had very fond memories of was brief, as his friend moved away the very next year. To this day, he couldn't find out who that person was. It was too long ago and Eric had no idea where he moved to. The only clue Eric had was a card that he had used: a fiery lion.

As he finished reminiscing about his childhood, Eric slowly and cautiously made his way back to his small apartment. Deciding that he had had enough excitement for one day, Eric collapsed on his bed, smiling and telling himself over and over again that he was still alive. Never more tired in his life, Eric took in the fact that he was home in his soft bed and fell into a gentle slumber.

November 13, 3050 12:15 PM

Eric awoke to a loud banging the next day at noon. Feeling groggy and lethargic, Eric opened the door to find a young man about his age standing at the doorway with a serious expression on his face. He had black, medium length hair that seemed to conform to the shape of his head, a notable feature being a curly bang that stood out above the others. Eric could tell that he was quite athletic, as his muscles were even apparent through his fancy red blazer, which bore a recognizable emblem: a red upside-down triangle inside a yellow circle.

Something besides the way he dressed gave the impression that he was rich. After a few moments of observing the young man, Eric finally realized that it was the way he was looking at Eric's apartment room with an expression of condescending disdain. Indeed, his room was rather plain and most definitely devoid of any luxuries, without even a television screen or a laptop computer lying around. It was just a simple rectangular space with old white paint that was peeling in certain areas. His bed was a cheap twin-sized foam mattress covered by a cotton bedspread and thin sheets, lying on a creaking vinyl floor. Even the single window that exposed the street outside his first-floor apartment was becoming opaque with dust. With glaring eyes, Eric watched as this man turned back to him.

"I hear you do odd jobs," the man said in a deep, gruff voice. "I have a special job for you."  
"I feel a bit tired right now," Eric replied. "Can you come back tomorrow?"  
"No," the man instantly rejected, "I need your assistance immediately. I received information that you made contact with a Dark Chaser gang. Is this true?"  
"Yeah," Eric said, annoyed at his persistence but suddenly curious about what he had to say. "Just yesterday. Why?"  
"I heard a rumor that a high ranking official of the Dark Chasers was heading in the direction of this city," the man explained. "I think it has something to do with you."

_Were they really going through that much trouble just because of one loss?_ thought Eric.

"You're interested in the Dark Chasers?" Eric asked.  
"Interested?" the man said, his face darkening. "I'm the one who's going to annihilate them all."

It appeared that these words had the strange effect of making the atmosphere tense with silence. In the first minute that they've talked, he had already said something both puzzling and threatening, and with an intense expression at that. Eric immediately sensed that this man was not normal. However, aside from his inability to make normal conversation, Eric also felt a strange vibe from this man, something that almost seemed inhuman.

"What are you, a cop?" Eric asked, interested in this man's motives.

"The police can't do anything against the Dark Chasers," the man said bitterly. "I fight the Dark Chasers because I'm the only one who can."

When he said this, Eric suddenly formed an extremely negative opinion of this man. He was probably some rich, self-righteous wannabe hero who sought nothing but self-glorification. Or maybe he was some lunatic who watched an action film and couldn't distinguish between fiction and reality. In the worst case, this man could be a Dark Chaser using a ruse to lure him out of the safety of his apartment. Whatever his deal was, Eric didn't like him.

"That kind of thing is too dangerous for me," Eric replied. "Please leave."

He noticed the man furrowing his eyebrows. The air became tense with silence once more as the two merely locked eyes, glaring at each other in a battle of will. Despite the man's attempt to intimidate him, Eric held his ground, refusing to budge an inch. This psychological battle continued for nearly a minute, until the man finally relented and spoke up once more.

"Very well," he said. "Sorry to disturb you."

The stranger closed the door as he walked back to the street. Eric watched him from his window, waiting until he saw the man drive off on his shiny red duel runner before falling back on his bed. Although Eric was interested in who that man was and what he knew about the Dark Chasers, he preferred to solve his own problems alone. He believed that he had the responsibility to resolve every conflict he encountered with his own power, not relying on anyone else to bail him out. Since he was the one who was tricked into dealing with the Dark Chasers, he felt that he had to confront them by himself. With the knowledge that a big shot Dark Chaser was coming, he decided that he would challenge and defeat that big shot to make them all respect him and leave him alone.

November 12, 3050 1:33 PM

After another hour of sleep, Eric put on a gray jacket and strapped on his duel disk, a unique aluminum model with a coat of ultramarine paint and a yellow crest in the shape of a crescent moon. This was a special duel disk that was custom made by his father, who had passed away fifteen years ago. Every time Eric dueled with it, he not only felt his father watching over him, but also the connection between him and his cards, as if they were symbiotic. This was a big reason why he regarded his cards as his best friends. However, since he graduated from Duel Academy and moved to Truesdale Town four years ago, he hadn't had an opportunity to use it even once.

Excited by the idea of dueling with his own duel disk again, Eric hurriedly threw on some jeans and put on his black sneakers before dashing out the door. He headed through the alleyways in a winding pattern, keeping an eye out for any Dark Chasers who might still looking for him. That was when he realized what that stranger from earlier was up to. Dozens of individuals dressed in black uniforms scoured the city, probably in search of that high ranking Dark Chaser the man spoke of. Eric's brow furrowed as he recognized the emblem these men bore on their uniforms: a red upside-down triangle inside a yellow circle. Several conjectures ran through Eric's head, the most likely of which was that the man in the red blazer was the leader of some anti-Dark Chaser cult.

_A romantic rich guy pretending he's some kind of hero_, thought Eric, _just the type of person that mindless people would follow_. _Doesn't anyone think for themselves nowadays?_

Sighing with annoyance, Eric put on his hood to hide his face and walked past the soldiers. Minutes later, Eric found himself standing at the front door of the Dark Chasers' rusty hideout. Taking a deep breath, Eric opened the front door and entered into a room full of hostile eyes.

"Saving the us the trouble of finding you?" one of them asked.

"I challenge the big shot I hear you guys brought in," Eric said.

For the second time he stood facing the Dark Chasers, Eric had made another serious mistake. Ignoring his words, the gang members surrounded him one by one, laughing and giggling as they made repulsive gestures at him. Then, without warning, they all jumped on him. Fist after flying fist, Eric was pounded on and bruised like an apple thrown on the floor time and time again. Even when he curled his body into a ball to protect his precious duel disk and cards, he felt each blow landing on him with the force of ten trucks, causing him to shout in blinding agony. What happening in the course of minutes felt like hours as Eric waited for this seemingly endless storm of pain to subside. Only when Eric was near the brink of collapse did the gang stop hitting him. His head fuzzy and his body stinging with sharp pain, Eric looked up and made out a dark figure through his tear-filled eyes. He was large. It wasn't the muscular large but the other one, the fat large.

"I heard you defeated one of my gang leaders," the fat man chuckled with a raspy voice. "Well done. Not many can do that. But now, I'm going to teach you the true meaning of pain. Get up, you son of a bitch."

Eric struggled to stand up, trying to withstand the jolts of pain that shot through his body every time he moved. With one eye black and blood drooling from both corners of his mouth, he made an effort to turn around and run, but he couldn't. He was completely exhausted and the pain was too much. Raising his head, Eric suddenly saw a glass beer bottle flying at him.

_It's over_, he thought. _I'm going to die._

Eric closed his eyes and resigned himself to what he thought would be the most unfulfilling death ever.

_Sorry, dad._

Seconds passed.

He didn't feel a thing. Eric wondered if he was so tired that he couldn't feel the pain. Or maybe they had beaten him up so badly that he died before the bottle ever reached him. The black void he was staring into almost convinced him that he was in fact dead. However, the mad aching of his fresh bruises reassured him that he was still alive. When he heard the sound of breaking glass, he slowly opened his eyes to see what had happened. To Eric's surprise, what stood before him was a man in a red blazer, puffing out his chest in a upright and rigid stance as though he were some kind of superhero. This was the same man he had met that morning. It appeared that he had somehow intercepted the attack and tossed the bottle aside before it hit him.

"Are you okay?" he asked Eric in a superficial tone that lacked even an ounce of sympathy.

"Fine," Eric muttered, angry at himself for enabling this man to play the hero. "How did you know where I would be?"

"I don't know," he replied. "Something just told me that you were here and that I needed to save you."

Before Eric could ask what he meant, several Dark Chasers charged at the man simultaneously, aiming their fists straight at him. Eric started to turn his face away, not wanting to see someone else share his fate. However, to Eric's complete and utter shock, the outcome was drastically different. Like the protagonist of a kung fu movie, the young man easily defeated the Dark Chaser goons with a series of swift strikes and kicks, knocking them unconscious without breaking a sweat. The rest of the gang backed off after this shocking display.

The more time he spent with this man, the more surprised Eric became. Somehow, this man had come to his aid in his most critical time of need. This same man also managed to beat five fully grown men without even breaking a sweat. He knew this man was strange, but now, he seemed completely inhuman.

"Who the hell are you?" Eric exclaimed.

"I am the inextinguishable flame of justice," the man said.

If he weren't so tired and writhing in pain, Eric would have slapped himself on the forehead for asking a question he should've known would be responded to with a weird and arrogant remark. Once again, he had enabled this pompous bastard to further inflate his already humongous ego.

"I don't care who you are," the fat man barked, "but nobody gets away with insulting Captain Earthquake!"

Turning his attention to the corpulent mass that stood at the center of the gang, the young man's demeanor changed drastically. The solid composure that Eric likened to a righteous hero figure was suddenly replaced by the savage aura of a wild beast hungering for blood. Eric watched in terror and shock as the man's eyes grew sharp with bloodlust and a wicked smile appeared on his face.

"No matter how many of you Dark Chasers I fight," the man laughed, "I can't ever get used to your terrible codenames. Earthquake sounds like something straight out of a comic book."

"I guess I need to teach you some manners," Earthquake growled, shaking his fists.

"Bring it on," Gareth grinned excitedly. "I'll take on as many as you want. I'll beat you down so hard you'll-!"

"Duel him!" Eric interrupted, scared of what he might do.

Upon hearing these words, the young man suddenly ceased his speech and turned to look at Eric. When he saw the fear in Eric's eyes, he seemed to realize how frightening he was becoming. Steadying himself and taking a deep breath, the man slowly poised himself back to his original refined posture.

It seemed as though this man wasn't the only one his words had affected, as somehow, the entire room became silent. With all the physical fighting that was going on, Eric's request seemed so outlandish that one would almost want to laugh. When two men, one of whom was already beaten to the brink of death, were surrounded by dozens of vicious gang members, it seemed almost ridiculous to settle the dispute with a simple card game. However, the intensity of his eyes showed that he was completely serious. No one spoke and no one laughed.

"What did you say?" asked a skeptical Gareth.

"I said to duel him," Eric panted, wincing from his injuries. "Violence isn't the right way to do things."

"Even though they didn't hesitate to beat you up?" the man asked in disbelief.

"It doesn't matter what they do," Eric said, coughing out blood. "I won't ever use violence, and neither should anyone else. We're duelists. We settle things by dueling."

Something seemed to click in the man as he heard these words. Perhaps it was the innocence and naivety of Eric's thinking. Or perhaps it was the sheer temperance he demonstrated to be able to forgive those who had done something unforgivable to him, a level of temperance that the man himself was not capable of. More than likely, however, what had affected him was jealousy towards someone who, in the most delicate of ways, had bested him in the field of gallantry. To his understanding, forgiveness was a virtue only allotted to the strong and the wise. Although Eric seemed to hold neither of these characteristics while the man wanted to believe he held both, it was only Eric who ultimately possessed and exhibited this virtue. Regardless of the reason, Eric's words appeared to have convinced him.

"Very well," the man smiled. "You heard him. Let's duel."

"And why should I duel a punk like you?" asked a frowning Earthquake.

"Because if you don't," the man said, "you'll get my fist in your face instead!"

"Hmph!" Earthquake grunted. "I'm not afraid of you. If it's a duel you want, it's a duel you'll get! Get ready to cry, shrimp!"

"Bring it on, rock head," the young man taunted, completely unintimidated.

Waving his hand, Earthquake signaled for one of his underlings to help him put on his extra large-sized duel disk. As it was attached on his burly arm, the duel disk appeared to be less of an instrument to play cards and more of one to chop wood with. On the other hand, the young man walked outside the warehouse and came back a minute later with a standard-sized crimson-colored duel disk already equipped. Taking their positions about six meters away from each others, the two duelists synced their duel disks, which flashed once to indicate the start of their game.

"Duel!" both said simultaneously.

"Wimps first," mocked Earthquake.

"Losers second," retorted the young man. "I summon the Tuner monster Red Tinker in defense mode."

A scarlet, imp-like creature emerged onto the field from a pool of lava on the ground.

(Red Tinker: Level 2/FIRE/Fiend/ATK-1000 DEF-1300/Effect-If a card you control is destroyed, look at the top card of your opponent's deck. If it is a monster, deal 500 points of damage to your opponent)

"I set 2 cards face down," the man said calmly. "Turn end."

"You talk big but you play small!" laughed Earthquake. "I summon Boulder Golem in attack mode!"

Rocks descended from the sky, reforming to compose a large behemoth. Despite the ease with which such a powerful monster was summoned, the man in the red blazer seemed unimpressed.

(Boulder Golem: Level 5/EARTH/Rock/ATK-2500 DEF-2000/Effect-This card can be Special Summoned from your hand if you control no monsters and your opponent has exactly one monster. If it is summoned this way, it cannot attack this turn)

"A 2500 ATK beater that can be summoned for no cost," the man grinned. "Too bad it can't attack this turn."

"So you know the card," Earthquake snickered. "But my turn's not over yet. I summon the Tuner monster Brick Breaker."

A Japanese karateka adorned in a while gi fell onto the field from the sky, striking a standard fighting stance.

(Brick Breaker: Level 3/EARTH/Warrior/ATK-1800 DEF-1600/Effect-This card can only be used to Synchro Summon Earth attribute Rock monsters)

"I tune level 3 Brick Breaker with level 5 Boulder Golem," Earthquake declared. "Gargantuan rocks clash loudly on this Earth! Form the invincible force of the ground! Synchro Summon! Crush them, Colossal Rock Giant!"

The karateka threw a punch at the rocky behemoth, shattering it into a pile of rocks. Unexpectedly, the rocks floated in the air and attached themselves to the karateka one by one, slowly forming a tall pile of heavy boulders. After a few seconds, a rumbling began from inside the mound, the precedent to a rocky explosion that revealed a titan composed of golden stones.

(Colossal Rock Giant: Level 8/EARTH/Rock/ATK-3000 DEF-3500/Effect: When this card destroys a defense position monster, deal piercing damage)

"Colossal Rock Giant," Earthquake laughed excitedly, "attack Red Tinker for piercing damage! Pounding Fury!"

Colossal Rock Giant clasped its hands together, raised them to the sky, and slammed down, crushing Red Tinker and leaving behind a gigantic crater. A loud rumbling noise could be heard as the ground shook with intense magnitude, a visual effect that Eric had guessed to be the cause of Earthquake's codename. Yet, despite the threatening animations and the loss of nearly half his Life Points, the young man didn't even bother to flinch. (2300/4000)

"Upon Red Tinker's destruction," the man said, "the top card of your deck is revealed. If it's a monster, you take 500 points of damage."

"The top card of my deck is the monster Gravi Smasher," Earthquake said, wincing as his Life Points decreased. (2300/3500)

(Gravi Smasher: Level 3/EARTH/Rock/ATK-1600 DEF-800/Effect-If this card destroys a monster in battle, you can destroy one Spell or Trap card on the field)

"I set 1 card face down," Earthquake said. "Turn end."

"My turn," announced the man. "I activate Surrounding Fire!"

(Activate this card during your Standby Phase. Your opponent cannot activate any effects during your Battle Phase)

A ring of flames formed from thin air, enveloping both duelists. Earthquake raised an eyebrow, alert but unshaken.

"This turn," the man smirked, "you can't do anything during my Battle Phase."

"But you can't do anything either," chuckled Earthquake. "Not with those weak monsters of yours."

"We'll see," the man replied. "I summon Cinder Runner in attack mode!"

A minute, orange hamster dropped softly from the sky, scurrying around in circles before its owner.

(Cinder Runner: Level 1/FIRE/Beast/ATK-0 DEF-0/Effect-This card can attack your opponent directly. Each time this monster attacks, it gains 500 ATK. If it deals 0 damage to your opponent, they lose 1000 Life Points)

"Cinder Runner can make a direct attack," the man explained. "Scorching Charge!"

"Have you lost it?" Earthquake cackled. "That thing has 0 ATK!"

Despite its opponent's words, the hamster-like creature sped at an unimpressed Earthquake and tackled him, dealing no damage. However, Earthquake suddenly made a raspy gasp, watching in shock and dismay as his Life Points decreased. (2300/2500)

"What?" Earthquake exclaimed. "How?"

"When Cinder Runner deals no damage," the young man smiled, "you take 1000 damage."

"How dare you use such a dirty trick against me!" roared Earthquake, his face beet red.

"I never thought I'd hear that from the leader of a group that's notorious for its dirty tricks," the man shot back.

"Shut up!" Earthquake shouted, clearly simmering with rage.

"Cinder Runner gains 500 ATK every time it attacks," the man said. "Turn end."

"I'll make you bleed, you son of a bitch!" shouted Earthquake. "My turn! I summon Gravi Smasher in attack mode!"

The monster that had been revealed through Red Tinker's effect, a shirtless muscle man, slammed onto the field, pummeling the ground with its large fists.

"Then," Earthquake continued, "I activate my Trap card, Earth Collapse! This will destroy all monsters with less than 2000 ATK at the end of each turn!"

(At the End Phase of each turn, destroy all monsters with less than 2000 ATK)

"Trying to destroy the Gravi Smasher you just summoned?" the man taunted.

"Shut up!" Earthquake yelled. "I equip Gravi Smasher with Rock Blaster! Just like your pipsqueak monster, this card gives Gravi Smasher 500 ATK every time he attacks! That means he won't be destroyed by Earth Collapse!"

(Equip this to a Rock monster. It gains 500 ATK every time it attacks)

"Ooh," the young man said with a mocking tone, "so you're going to evade your Continuous Spell's drawbacks with an ATK boosting card. Not half bad."

"You won't be laughing for long," Earthquake chuckled spitefully. "Gravi Smasher, attack Cinder Runner!"

"I activate my Quick Spell Burst into Flames," the man declared with a snap of his fingers. "Your monster loses 800 ATK and if it still has higher ATK, I negate all battle damage this turn and draw 1 card."

(When your opponent's monster attacks or is attacked by your Fire attribute monster, decrease that monster's ATK by 800. If its ATK is greater than that of your monster, you can negate all battle damage this turn and draw 1 card)

Gravi Smasher caught on fire and writhed in pain, but still had more than enough power to annihilate the weak Cinder Runner. The stranger grinned suspiciously as he drew his card.

"You saved yourself for now," Earthquake growled.

"Oh," the man smiled, "I did more than that. Since Gravi Smasher's attack was decreased, its ATK is now 1300, which means it gets destroyed by Earth Collapse."

"You son of a-," Earthquake snarled, completely shocked at the turn of events.

Gravi Smasher fell into the Earth as miserably as its owner sulked.

"Turn end,"Earthquake muttered, shaking with rage.

"This guy," Eric said completely aghast, "he's planned everything from the very moment Earthquake revealed Gravi Smasher! He predicted exactly what his opponent was going to do. It only looked like he was at a disadvantage but he was in complete control. In one move, he avoided damage, drew a card, and used his opponent's strategy against him. He's totally toying with Earthquake!"

"My turn," said the young man boldly, pleased at his psychological victory. "I summon Guardian of Flames in attack mode!"

A massive fire erupted from thin air, smoldering a while before dissipating to reveal a muscular fighter clad in crimson armor.

(Guardian of Flames: Level 3/FIRE/Warrior/ATK-1800 DEF-1200/Effect-You can redirect an attack on a Fire attribute monster to this card)

"Next, I activate my Spell card Revival by Fire! This lets me Special Summon 2 Fire monsters from my Graveyard. Come back to me, Red Tinker and Cinder Runner!"

(Special Summon up to 2 Fire attribute monsters that were sent to your Graveyard by your opponent)

In a very ritualistic manner, two metal goblets materialized, containing nothing but a small flame. Without warning, those flames burst into gigantic pillars of fire, revealing the two fallen monsters after subsiding.

"Since Cinder Runner was just summoned," the man smiled, "its ATK is back at zero, which means you'll be taking another 1000 points of damage. Cinder Runner, direct attack!"

Earthquake let out a small yelp as his Life Points finally fell below his opponent's. (2300/1500)

"Now," the young man grinned wickedly, "I'm tuning level 2 Red Tinker with level 1 Cinder Runner and level 3 Guardian of Flames. Searing flames engulf the world. Be born from the smoldering fire! Synchro Summon! Roar, Leoferno!"

The young man's three monsters condensed into fiery orbs, which danced around the field in circular motions before colliding forcefully against one another to create a tremendous explosion of flames. What stood in the aftermath of the chaos was a majestic lion with a blazing mane of fire.

(Leoferno: Level 6/FIRE/Beast/ATK-2400 DEF-1800/Effect-If this card destroys a monster whose original ATK is greater than that of this card, deal 1000 points of damage to your opponent. When this card is destroyed in battle, you can deal 800 points of damage to your opponent or Special Summon a Fire attribute Tuner monster from your Graveyard)

Compared to this savage beast, the large and bulky Earthquake looked incredibly small. In his eyes was the unmistakable look of absolute terror.

Eric was deeply affected by what he saw as well, but in a much different way. This monster, this flaming red lion, seemed to ignite something in his soul. A distant memory from long ago. The bright image of his very first friend.

_Could it be?_ Eric thought. _Could this man be him?_

"I activate the Continuous Spell Kurohouka!" the man continued with a malevolent grin. "All of my monsters become Dark attribute and gain 200 ATK and DEF."

(All Fire attribute monsters on the field also become Dark attribute monsters and gain 200 ATK and DEF)

Eerily, the flames on Leoferno's mane and tail changed from a passionate red to a shadowy black. Eric gasped in shock as the bright image of a card he had always admired was shattered by the murky darkness which consumed this once fiery lion. The young man himself seemed to be corrupted by this card as well, as savage eyes and a devilish grin began to re-emerge on his face.

_No_, Eric thought. _There's no way it's him. He would never do this._

"I now activate Prodigy of Fire," the man smirked. "This card is treated as a monster and a Spell."

In a similar fashion to the rest of his monsters, a fire erupted from out of nowhere and replaced itself with a monster, this time an adolescent boy carrying a fireball on each hand. By Kurohouka's effect, even the flames of this innocent child became black with evil.

(This card is treated as a monster and a spell (Warrior type/Fire/Level 4/ATK 1700/DEF 1200). If this card is destroyed as a monster, deal 500 points of damage to your opponent. If this card is destroyed as a Spell, discard 1 card from your opponent's hand)

"H-heh," Earthquake stuttered. "You summoned a bunch of monsters but none of them can do anything to my Colossal Rock Giant."

"Who says I need to?" the man cackled. "I'll just end my turn here. Now, when Earth Collapse activates, Prodigy of Fire is destroyed. But, Prodigy of Fire activates a different effect depending on how it's destroyed. Since Earth Collapse destroys Prodigy of Fire as a monster, you take another 500 points of damage!"

Earthquake looked absolutely mortified. He controlled the strongest monster on the field, whose strength was uncontested. Yet, his opponent was winning, beating him with nothing but cheap effect damage. It was petty, but it worked. Earthquake's morale dwindled at the same rate as his Life Points. (2300/1000)

_There it is again_, Eric said bitterly to himself. _I hate that he's sacrificing his monsters to do it, but he's winning. This guy's completely taking advantage of Earthquake's cards He's focusing on reducing Earthquake's Life Points because he can't beat his monsters through sheer force. He's not trying to beat his opponent in the duel. He's trying to destroy his spirit._

Just as he thought this, a glimmer of hope appeared in Earthquake's eyes as he appeared to have gained the same idea.

"Heh!" Earthquake smirked. "You're dealing me a lot of damage, but you can't beat my monster! And after I do this, you'll have no chance of surviving to the next turn! I activate 3 copies of the Equip Spell, Gravel Power, giving Colossal Rock Giant 1000 ATK each!"

Rocks descended from the sky, piling onto Earthquake's monster to triple its original towering size. In fact, Colossal Rock Giant grew so large that it stood taller than a typical skyscraper, boasting a massive 6000 ATK. Yet, the young man seemed completely unfazed.

(Equip this card only on a Rock monster. It gains 1000 ATK)

"There's no way you can win now!" Earthquake laughed. "Colossal Rock Giant, attack Leoferno!"

"Naive!" the man laughed mischievously. "I activate Fire Wall! All battle damage is halved and my monsters can't be destroyed!"

(If a Fire attribute monster is selected as the target of a card that destroys a monster or about to be destroyed in battle, halve all battle damage. No monsters can be destroyed this turn)

Colossal Rock Giant, the word colossal itself an understatement, swung its enormous fist at the comparatively miniscule Leoferno, only to be intercepted by a giant wall of smoldering black flames. As Earthquake looked into his opponent's beastly eyes, his face grew pale as though the life had been sucked, or rather burnt, from his soul. (600/1000)

"T-turn end!" Earthquake whimpered, trying to avoid the condescending eyes of an opponent he could not scare or defeat despite his best efforts.

"My turn," the young man said with a savage smile. "You said I can't beat your monster through sheer power, right?"

Earthquake, a shivering mess who had long lost the will to fight, gave no reply.

"I'll show you just how much you underestimate my power," the man chuckled. "I summon the Tuner monster Ticking Time Bomb!"

A small, round bomb dropped softly from the sky, sprouting a pair of almost cute-looking arms and legs.

(Ticking Time Bomb: Level 2/EARTH/Thunder/ATK-800 DEF-300/Effect-If this card attacks, you take no battle damage. When this card is destroyed in battle, destroy all spell and trap cards on your opponent's side of the field)

"Ticking Time Bomb," the man laughed, "attack Colossal Rock Giant!"

"What?" Eric exclaimed, thinking that he'd gone completely insane. "Why would you do that?"

It was too late. Ticking Time Bomb jumped and attached itself to the behemoth, squealing softly as it exploded in flames. As expected, the towering behemoth stood unscathed. At least, that was how it appeared at first. Suddenly, the rocks that composed the titan began to fall, leaving Earthquake's once humongous monster a crumbling mess. Earthquake watched in absolute terror as his ace monster collapsed before his eyes, shielding himself in fear despite the fact that the descending rocks were only holographic. Only when the golem reached its original size a minute later did the destruction end.

"What happened?" Eric asked, completely dumbfounded.

"When Ticking Time Bomb attacks," the man explained, "I take no damage and all my opponent's Spells and Traps are destroyed."

"You still had that up your sleeve?" Eric exclaimed, wondering just how far ahead this man had thought.

"I'm far from finished," the man grinned. "Now, I Special Summon Blazing Sky!"

In one blinding flash, the entire atmosphere was set on fire, painting the very image of Hell itself. If that wasn't bad enough, Kurohouka's effect turned those flames pure black, completing the man's visual demonic nightmare. This proved to be too much for Earthquake, who appeared to be on the verge of losing his mind.

(Blazing Sky: Level 4/FIRE/Pyro/ATK-0 DEF-0/Effect- This card can be Special Summoned if there is a Fire attribute monster on your side of the field. As long as this card remains on the field, all Fire attribute monsters gain 500 ATK and DEF)

"Blazing Sky gives all Fire monsters 500 ATK and DEF," the man smiled devilishly. "Combined with Kurohouka, Leoferno now has a total of 3100 ATK, enough to take down that giant."

Eric's jaw was left hanging, not to say it wasn't hanging throughout the whole duel. This time, it was from the realization that the young man could've destroyed Earthquake's monsters anytime he wanted. He just chose not to so that he could torture his opponent longer.

"Leoferno," the man laughed, "attack Colossal Rock Giant! Infernal Impact!"

Leoferno engulfed its entire body in black flames and began its charge, picking up enough speed to leap and blast through the giant, which melted pitifully from the intense heat. (600/900)

"When Leoferno destroys a monster whose original ATK was greater than his," the man smirked cockily, "you take 1000 points of damage!"

Without any mercy, the black lion breathed a torrent of dark flames at the now kneeling Earthquake, securing the victory that had been determined long before this turn. (600/0)

The field cleared to uncover the Dark Chaser captain bawling and quivering on the floor like a helpless animal. His gang had already run away in fear, having succumbed to despair even before this hellish conclusion. Having gained the satisfaction of defeating and psychologically torturing his opponent, the young man returned to his original civilized composure. Turning around, the stranger stared down triumphantly at Eric, who was still heavily bruised from his earlier beating. Both stood with their eyes locked on each other, neither saying a single word.

In this duel, Eric had come to acknowledge this man's dueling skills. Yet, at the same time, he felt a little fear and a great deal of rage towards his cruel methods. No matter how strong he was, this was a man Eric simply could not respect. Whoever it was that stood before him now, it wasn't the same person he had befriended and admired long ago. If that child was his heavenly savior, then this man was a demon from Hell.


	3. Chapter 3

Yu-Gi-Oh! D. T.

Chapter 3: Glimmering Light, The Path of the Duelist

November 12, 3:24 PM

The man in the dark cloak sat in the drive-thru of a cheap burger joint sipping on Coke. Why he drank such an unhealthy beverage, he had no idea. Somehow, the cold sweetness of the soft drink calmed his spirit. Within him, there were many dark secrets and memories that tore at his very core, the nasty abode of a thousand demons from Hell. There wasn't a second where he didn't want to cry out in burning anguish, to relieve himself of the sins he had brought upon himself. Yet, even within this darkness, he continued to find a guilty sweetness, the same sweetness he found in his pitch black soda. The knowledge that such pleasure could come from sin was the very reason he continued do what he did, and the same reason he found solace in his Coke. On the topic of sin, the man suddenly received a message from his boss, the unnamed leader of the Dark Chasers.

"Heyo! You want to fight strong duelists, right? You remember those cards we talked about getting? The first one's in Neo Domino City. Be a dear and fetch it for me, will ya?"

The man would've normally shrugged at the informality of the message that was so characteristic of their mysterious leader, but this time, it didn't bother him as much. To any normal Dark Chaser, this request would've been viewed as just another tiresome job, but to him, it was the break he had been looking for. He was tired of the weak duelists in the area he was forced to govern as part of his job as a general. In his eyes, this request was basically permission to travel the world and duel whoever he wanted. As long as he got the formal job done, everything else along the way was free game.

If he had one complaint, it was the first stop on his journey. Neo Domino was the symbol of a fallen generation. It was the place that almost caused the world's destruction 50 years ago, when the Momentum reactor malfunctioned for the last time and was finally disestablished. Since then, the city's resources and prestige have continually declined to a point of economic stagnation and social unrest. Despite its name, Neo Domino City was now associated with the failure of the past and the inability to cope with the present, truly a shadow of its former self, which the man had once admired. Eager to start on his journey and finish this particular job quickly, he jumped onto his black duel runner and tossed his Coke aside. Watching as the murky liquid spilled out from its vessel and spread wastefully on the barren earth, the man in black sped into the darkness of the night.

November 12, 3:27 PM

Eric studied the stranger carefully. Through his only unbruised eye, Eric could see the man's smirk of arrogant satisfaction from recently winning a duel. But something else was even more apparent, something about his sharp eyes. Within them, he could see an expression of absolute disdain that looked down on everyone around him. They were the eyes of a ruler.

"Who are you?" Eric inquired.

"My name is Gareth Basilius," he replied. "The CEO of Duel Trinity Corporation."

"DT," Eric said. "The company that makes Duel Monsters tech?"

"That's right," Gareth nodded.

"I'm Eric," said Eric out of courtesy. "A duelist."

"A true description indeed," Gareth grinned. "Do you know why the Dark Chasers were after you?"

"I assumed they were after revenge for their boss."

"Boss?" Gareth chuckled. "That wasn't their boss. Not even the man I dueled was their boss. The Dark Chasers' boss would put up much more of a fight."

"Dark Chasers, huh?" Eric frowned. "I keep hearing that name, but I still don't have any idea about what I'm dealing with, or rather, what's trying to deal with me."

"The Dark Chasers are an evil organization that steals people's rare cards and goes to any extreme to do it," Gareth explained. "In our modern world that's dominated by Duel Monsters, the easiest way to get what you want is to excel in the game. Thus, it's more likely that they were after the deck you used to beat the gang leader than revenge."

"I see," Eric nodded. "So why haven't I heard of them until yesterday?"

"Over the past decade," Gareth explained, "they've greatly increased their influence and plagued the world with their evil ambitions. Today, they've infiltrated almost every level of society's, and even the government's, infrastructure. You probably didn't realize that those you trusted most were actually your greatest enemies."

"No way!" Eric exclaimed. "You must be crazy! Where's your evidence?"

"Is the fact that you were tricked by a little boy not proof enough?"

Eric knew for a fact that he didn't like this man, but he couldn't deny that he was right.

"Then," Eric said anxiously, "how do you stop such a powerful organization?"

"That's what my company is for," Gareth smiled with a proud gleam in his eyes. "We scout the best duelists who have a sense of justice to achieve our goal."

"And that is?" Eric asked.

"To destroy the Dark Chasers," Gareth said, sticking out his chest. "I'd like to invite you to join our cause."

After this description, Eric knew exactly what this whole incident was about. How did Gareth know where he would be? How did he know that it was a little kid who lured him into the Dark Chasers' base? The answer was obvious. Gareth was stalking him and taking advantage of his run-in with the Dark Chasers recruit him to his company. Now, Eric understood what he was dealing with: an intelligent man without morals.

"Well," Eric frowned, "good luck with that. I want to be involved in this as little as possible."

"Too late," Gareth said as he stepped in front of Eric. "You're already involved. You see, their duel disks are built with a recording system that tracks each move you make and every card you use. If they see that you have rare cards, they won't stop chasing you until they take them."

"And why should I believe you?" Eric said, furrowing his brow. "You said that the Dark Chasers use any means necessary to get what they want. Well, I find it difficult to trust someone who uses the same methods as the enemy they claim be to fighting."

"I beg your pardon?" Gareth said with a dark expression.

"I may not be as clever as you," Eric said bitterly, "but don't think of me as an idiot."

Turning away from Gareth, Eric walked back towards his apartment. Gareth sighed and then smiled. This was what everyone he scouted said in the beginning. However, they would soon think about the opportunity to save the world and become heroes. He knew that all men sought purpose and self-fulfillment in life, especially those from impoverished backgrounds. And more importantly, they sought to be rewarded for it. No sane man would refuse such a great opportunity to attain fame and fortune by fighting for justice. No one would value their pride over their base desires. This was especially true for Eric, who was now wanted by the Dark Chasers and who would benefit greatly from the protection D.T. Corporation could provide. Grinning to himself, Gareth decided that all he had to do was keep pressuring Eric and wait for him to reconsider.

November 13, 5:28 PM

For the whole day, Eric did nothing but lay in pain on his bed and think about Gareth's request, asking himself the same question over and over again.

_Should I have accepted it?_

It would seem like the logical thing to do. If Gareth was right and the Dark Chasers were really after him, his life was in danger. Joining the D.T. Corporation would definitely ensure his safety. Not to mention, it was the perfect opportunity to make a living through dueling, which didn't sound too bad. From the way Gareth dressed and behaved, Eric had no doubt that his salary would be very favorable.

Sighing to himself, he admitted that he would never do it. A person like Eric, who believed in his strength and his alone, would never rely on another person to bail him out no matter how difficult the situation. More importantly, he didn't want to subordinate himself to a man who didn't respect his opponents and who only used his cards as tools. He would much rather deal with the Dark Chasers on his own. Clenching his fist, Eric decided that if this was the hand that fate dealt to him, he would figure out a way to win by himself. With his resolve hardened, Eric suddenly heard a knock on his door. When he opened it, he was surprised to see an agitated Gaige panting heavily from running.

"Eric!" Gaige shouted in exasperation. "I got a letter asking for you to go to the docks! They said they kidnapped a little girl and threatened to kill her if you don't comply!"

"Then what Gareth said was true," Eric scowled. "The Dark Chasers are coming after me."

Eric didn't think for a second to run away or hide. His only thought was that someone had suffered as a result of his actions, and that he had a responsibility to rectify the problem. Running past the convenience store owner, Eric dashed out of his apartment and came face to face with large crowd of restless-looking people. In the front stood an elderly woman in teary shambles.

"Oh please!" she cried. "I know it's a selfish request but please turn yourself in and save my granddaughter! She's all I have left!"

"Don't worry," said Eric as he pushed his way through the crowd. "I don't plan on running away."

After hearing that, people began to surround him by the dozens, shaking his hand and praising him for his bravery. Though Eric was uncomfortable with the situation, he began feeling a sense of satisfaction for doing the right thing and being rewarded for it. As he made his way to the docks, he laughed at himself for trying to be the type of hero he hated most.

November 13, 3050 6:12 PM

When he arrived at the pier, he found a large, muscular man in his early thirties surrounded by smaller goons. A little girl was tied to the side, held at knifepoint by a pair of gang members. The girl's sobbing and shivering were indicators that this was a serious situation.

"If you want to save her," the man laughed obnoxiously, "you better be ready to hand your cards to me: Whirlpool Jackson!"

"It's me you want," Eric said through gritted teeth. "Leave her out of this."

"Give me your cards and I'll consider it."

"Instead of shamelessly threatening me," Eric snarled, "why don't you man up and duel me for them?"

"Now why would I waste my time with that?" Whirlpool chuckled. "It's your cards I want, not you."

"I'll never give my cards to you conniving scumbags," Eric said angrily. "Duel me!"

"I swear to god I'll kill her," Whirlpool threatened once more.

"Is Whirlpool your Dark Chaser codename or did your mother name you that?" said a familiar, condescending voice.

Gareth walked from behind a tree to reveal himself.

"I don't know who the hell you think you are," Whirlpool frowned after that insult, "but it seems you don't care very much about this girl."

"So your mother, huh?" Gareth grinned. "Let me tell you why she named you that: because all of your intelligence was probably sucked into a whirlpool when you were born. If you kill that girl, what reason would Eric have to give you his cards?"

"You idiot!" Eric exclaimed at Gareth. "Stop provoking him! He'll kill her for real!"

"Just shut up and watch," Gareth said.

Without any fear of the Dark Chasers or any regard for the little girl's life, he walked straight towards them.

"Don't come any closer!" Whirlpool shouted, digging the knife into the girl's neck and prompting a sharp squeal.

Yet, Gareth ignored him and continued walking. Eric stood in complete awe and silence at the sheer irresponsibility and arrogance of his actions.

"One more step and I'll slash her throat wide open!" Whirlpool yelled when Gareth was only a meter away from them.

"Okay," Gareth smiled.

In a motion so fast that the human eye almost couldn't follow, Gareth lunged at Whirlpool and twirled to perform a lightning-quick spinning hook kick, aimed at an angle such that Whirlpool's enormous body, as well as his knife hand, were knocked so far away that one almost couldn't believe the girl was at knifepoint just a second ago. Grunting in pain, Whirlpool flew straight into his subordinates with the combined force of his huge mass and

Gareth's monstrous kick, easily knocking them unconscious.

In the hypocritically heroic way that Eric detested, Gareth bent down, put his hands on the girls shoulders, smiled, and said to her "Are you okay?"

"Mhmm," she replied cheerfully through tears.

Eric muttered some curse words as he watched her run back to her family.

"You son of a-," Whirlpool began before being kicked again by Gareth.

"Stop it!" Eric shouted. "Violence is never the solution. Only dueling is."

"This man is a disgraceful Dark Chaser," Gareth said in a grave tone. "He deserves nothing less than Hell."

"You said it yourself," Eric replied. "Today, this world is controlled by how good you are at dueling. It's the only fair way to settle things. If he wanted my cards, he should've dueled me for them instead of using cheap tricks."

"Should've," Gareth said, "but didn't. Why show him mercy now?"

"I'm not showing anybody mercy," Eric said, staring Gareth straight in the eye. "Dueling is my way of life. No tricks. No lies."

At that moment, the look in Gareth's eyes changed. What used to be filled with unwavering confidence and elitist condescension was now filled with curiosity and interest.

Turning away from Gareth to face Whirlpool, Eric strapped on and activated his ultramarine-colored duel disk, stroking the yellow crescent that ran along its surface.

"The terms are this," he announced. "If you win, you're free to go where you please and I'll forget this ever happened. If I win, you're turning yourself into the police. Got it?"

"You're gonna regret this," Whirlpool growled, spitting a tooth out from his bloody mouth as he equipped and activated his own standard-issue duel disk.

"Duel!" they shouted in unison.

"I'm going first!" Whirlpool said assertively. "I summon Fish Commander in defense mode!"

A watery portal emerged beside Whirlpool, revealing a humanoid monster in a white military uniform with the head of a salmon.

(Fish Commander: Level 4/WATER/Warrior/ATK-0 DEF-0/Effect: This card cannot be destroyed in battle. This card can be treated as 2 Synchro material monsters)

"I set 2 cards," he continued. "Turn end."

"True to your name," Eric grinned, "you're playing a Water deck."

"That's right," Whirlpool snarled. "You find that funny?"

"No," Eric said. "Did you get it from your parents?"

After hearing those words, Whirlpool's eyes widened and, after a few seconds, closed. A smile formed across his face as the tension that had pervaded the duel vanished instantaneously. This was the first time he had ever faced someone with such a tranquil nature in a duel. Despite being threatened, despite everything he'd done to him, his opponent Eric Lambert regarded him as nothing but a fellow duelist. With these last few words, Whirlpool had realized that the man who stood before him was not his enemy.

"Yeah," Whirlpool smirked. "I inherited this deck from my pop, who named me Whirlpool after it. He hoped that I could suck in good fortune in my life and I always wanted to make him proud for putting so much faith in me. But it looks like I've sucked in nothing but bad luck. My pop died from cancer when I was in middle school. I couldn't get into Duel Academy because I sucked at taking tests, and even though I did pretty well at tournaments, no one wanted to sponsor me because I didn't have a duelist diploma. I joined the Dark Chasers because they promised me that I could change the world with this deck, and I figured that was what my pop would've wanted."

"But it wasn't what you expected," Eric said as he closed his eyes, "was it?"

"No," Whirlpool said with a grim expression. "There was nothing great about using my deck to beat people and steal their cards. I even wanted to quit one time, but I soon learned that there was no way out of the Dark Chasers. Some rotten luck, right?"

"I see," Eric said with a frown. "I too inherited my deck from my dad, and I'm sure he had high hopes for me. Unlike you, I've spent the last four years doing nothing with my deck. In a way, I sort of envy you."

"You shouldn't," Whirlpool sighed, "I would give anything to have that right now. I would much rather do nothing with my pop's cards than what I've been doing all these years. I can't imagine what he'd say if he saw me like this right now."

"It's not too late," Eric smiled. "You still have a chance to change."

"I told you already," Whirlpool chuckled weakly, "there's no quitting the Dark Chasers."

"That's not what I mean," Eric said. "We're both representing our dads in this duel. Your dad's feelings exist inside your deck. In this duel, you have to show me what your true feelings are. What does dueling mean to you? What kind of duelist do you want to be? Those are what define you as a duelist."

"What define me as a duelist," Whirlpool repeated softly as the image of his father burned brightly in his mind.

"My father taught me to respect my opponents and to have faith in my cards," Eric said firmly. "That's why no matter what, I will always play fairly and give it my all. That's the kind of duelist I want to be."

"I want to be like my pop," Whirlpool replied. "I want to become the kind of person my pop can be proud to call his son: strong and humble. To always win but with honor and humility. That's the kind of duelist I want to be!"

"Well then I hope you're ready," Eric grinned, "cuz my dad's deck is pretty strong."

"Right back atcha," Whirlpool smiled.

"My turn!" Eric declared. "I discard Bright Star to Special Summon Moonlight Viking!"

A shining yellow orb materialized on the field, only to be absorbed by an axe-wielding viking which fell from the sky.

(Bright Star: Level 1/LIGHT/Psychic/ATK-500 DEF-0/Effect: If this card is sent to the Graveyard, you can Special Summon it to your side of the field on your next Standby Phase)

(Moonlight Viking: Level 5/LIGHT/Warrior/ATK-2200 DEF-300/Effect: You can discard 1 card from your hand to Special Summon this card from your hand. If you do, you cannot summon another monster this turn)

"Moonlight Viking," Eric commanded, "attack Fish Commander! But first, I discard Radiant Moon from my hand to let my monster deal piercing damage!"

(Radiant Moon: Level 2/LIGHT/Psychic/ATK-0 DEF-1800/Effect: During your Battle Phase, you can discard this card from your hand to have your attacking monster deal piercing damage this turn)

"I activate the Trap card Extreme Washout!" Whirlpool countered. "When you activate a monster effect, I can negate that effect and equip Extreme Washout to your monster. When equipped, that monster can't attack."

(Activate only when a monster's effect activates. Negate the effect and equip this card to a monster on the field. That monster cannot attack as long as this card remains on the field)

The viking charged at the gilled commander, but before it made any distance, it was swept away by a giant tidal wave, cancelling its attack. As the waves subsided, Moonlight Viking was revealed to be completely soaked and immobile.

"Not bad," Eric smiled. "I set 2 cards. Turn end."

"My turn," Whirlpool said with an eager grin. "I summon the Tuner monster Rainbow Minnow!"

From the residue water on the field, a small fish with rainbow colored scales emerged, flying gracefully in the air.

(Rainbow Minnow: Level 3/WATER/Fish/ATK-1500 DEF-0/Effect: Once per turn, you can increase the attack of one of your monsters by 300)

"I'm tuning level 4 Fish Commander with level 3 Rainbow Minnow," Whirlpool announced. "Colossal waves crash on bare rock! Rise from the depths of the ocean! Synchro Summon! Surface, Whirlpool Demon Shark!"

The two material monsters deformed into puddles of water, which burst upwards into violent torrents that twisted and crashed against each other. As the peak height was reached, all the water crashed into the ground in one simultaneous downpour and created an artificial sea. A deep whirlpool emerged at the center of the sea, with a menacing shark rising from its depths to reveal itself.

(Whirlpool Demon Shark: Level 7/WATER/Fish/ATK-2900 DEF-2000/Effect: Any monster that battles this card is removed from play at the end of the Battle Phase)

"That monster," Eric smiled, "you were named after it, weren't you?"

"That's right," Whirlpool grinned proudly. "This was my pop's ace monster. My ace monster."

"Your bond with that card," Eric said, "is strong."

"I'll show just how strong it is!" Whirlpool smirked. "Whirlpool Demon Shark, attack Moonlight Viking! Surging Predation!"

The shark pierced through the water, smashing past the Viking and crunching it in half. (3300/4000)

"Now," Whirlpool continued, "I activate the Trap card Tidal Wave! Each time my monster destroys a monster by battle, you take 1000 damage!"

"I activate my Trap card Double Spy!" Eric countered. "I negate all damage this turn!"

As its name suggested, Whirlpool's card unleashed a massive wave of water at Eric, only to split down the middle, narrowly missing him.

(If a Water attribute monster destroys a monster in battle, inflict 1000 points of damage to your opponent's Life Points)

(Negate all damage received this turn. You can Special Summon a Level 3 monster from your hand)

"If you could've negated all the damage from this turn," asked a puzzled Whirlpool, "why didn't you use it earlier when I attacked?"

"Because he wanted to bait out your cards," Gareth said from the side. "If he had activated it earlier, you probably wouldn't have used Tidal Wave this turn."

"I see," Whirlpool nodded. "You chose to take the small amount of battle damage now so you could avoid more damage in the long run."

"Told you I'm pretty strong," Eric winked.

"If you hadn't done that, you would've lost for sure," Whirlpool grinned. "I activate 3 copies of the Continuous Spell Kamikaze! This deals you 1000 damage at your End Phase as long as I have a Water monster. When it comes back to my turn, I'll only have to deal you 300 more damage to win."

(Once per duel, while you control a Water monster, deal 1000 damage to your opponent during their End Phase)

"Indeed," Gareth nodded, "if Whirlpool had saved Tidal Wave, he would've been able to ensure 4000 damage the next turn. Not bad."

However, for Gareth, more surprising than the amount of skill being displayed in this duel was the lack of pressure. Whirlpool had so much to lose, and yet, he was playing without a single worry. In fact, it almost looked like he was having fun. For someone like Gareth, who thought he knew it all, who viewed life as a fierce battle between good and evil, he couldn't comprehend what he was seeing. The only thing he did know was that Eric was the cause. He didn't treat his opponent like an enemy. He actually tried to comfort his opponent and even complimented his plays. Gareth had no idea why Eric did any of these things, and the fact that there was something he didn't know infuriated him. Yet, this uncertainty only heightened his interest in Eric: the first man he couldn't understand.

"You may think you have me in the bag," Eric smirked, "but I've got a little surprise for you. Even though you've established a win condition for yourself, you used up all your resources to do so. That means that you have nothing to stop my counterattack!"

"You think you can overcome my 2900 ATK ace monster and deal 4000 damage in one turn?" Whirlpool smirked. "Just try it!"

"My turn," Eric said. "I discard the Tuner Monster Vanishing Moon to make your shark lose the same number of levels and ATK points as it. That's 1 level and 1000 ATK."

A small celestial body appeared on the field for a second, only to disappear immediately afterwards. However, with it went a large amount of the water composing Whirlpool's sea, leaving his shark flopping helplessly.

(Vanishing Moon: Level 1/LIGHT/Psychic/ATK-1000 DEF-100/Effect: You can discard this card from your hand to have one of your opponent's monsters lose 1000 ATK and 1 level. If you do, Special Summon this card to your side of the field in attack position on your next Battle Phase)

"Well," Eric smiled, "since I'm going to lose my Life Points anyway, I might as well use them. I pay 3000 Life Points to activate Destruction of the Moon, removing from play every monster in the Graveyard that wasn't sent there this turn to take control of your monster."

"My monster?" Whirlpool exclaimed. "But that's mine!"

"I wonder if you've ever considered that when you took other people's cards," Eric chided.

Upon hearing these words, Whirlpool looked at the ground in guilt and embarrassment.

Another glowing sphere appeared on the field, this time much larger and brighter. Unlike the last one, this moon collapsed into itself and crumbled, sprinkling silver dust over Eric's entire field. It appeared that Whirlpool's monster was so entranced by the sparkling dust that it scurried to Eric's side. (300/4000)

(Remove from play all monsters that weren't sent to the Graveyard this turn and pay 3000 Life Points to take control of one of your opponent's monsters)

"As I enter my Battle Phase," Eric continued, "Vanishing Moon is Special Summoned from the Graveyard!"

The moon that had appeared to have vanished suddenly reemerged from its invisible state.

"This is bad," said a slightly quivering Whirlpool.

"You bet," Eric grinned. "Double direct attack!"

Without an ounce of hesitation, Vanishing Moon and the Whirlpool Demon Shark that now belonged to Eric struck at once, wiping out a large chunk of Whirlpool's life points. Whirlpool broke down and fell to his knees, not from the Life Points he lost but from the sting of being hit by his and his father's favorite card. It felt as though he were being punished for misusing and betraying it for all these years. (300/1100)

"You've made your point," Whirlpool said, choking on his tears. "Stealing other people's cars is wrong. This is completely your win."

"Don't surrender just because of that," Eric frowned. "This is a duel. No matter what happens, you have to stick it out until the end. Your cards deserve at least that much."

"Well," Whirlpool laughed weakly, "I was trying to give you the win because you made me realize the error of my ways. I don't want to fight you anymore. It wouldn't feel right for me to win after you failed to finish me off this turn."

"Failed?" Eric smirked. "You think I failed just because I've finished attacking with the monsters on my field?"

"Yeah," Whirlpool said with a look of confusion. "You've already attacked with both monsters. Your Battle Phase is over. You can't deal me any more damage this turn."

"Let me tell you something," Eric said in a serious tone. "Even when everything is going wrong, even when it seems like there's nothing you can do, you have to keep trying. That's what it takes to make it in life. That's what it takes to be a duelist."

"But what more can you do in this situation?" Whirlpool asked.

"I can give it everything I've got left," Eric grinned. "Trap activate: Moonlight Synchro! This card let's me Synchro Summon a Light monster in my Battle Phase. I'm tuning the now level 6 Whirlpool Demon Shark with level 1 Vanishing Moon. The shining moon guides all to greatness. Glisten brightly in your quest! Synchro Summon! Arise, Everbright Enchanter!"

Whirlpool's monster dissolved into small particles of light, which rose to surround Vanishing Moon and create a glowing structure that resembled an atom. The shining particles zipped around Vanishing Moon at increasing speeds until they appeared to form a rapidly rotating sphere of intense light. At the climax of the light's intensity, the sphere exploded into a blinding flash of energy. As the field became visible once more, all that stood was a mage-like figure adorned in embellished robes with a crystal staff in hand.

(During your Battle Phase, you can Synchro Summon a Light attribute monster)

(Everbright Enchanter: Level 7/LIGHT/Spellcaster/ATK-2600 DEF-2000/Effect: When this card is Synchro Summoned, return all removed from play monsters back to their owner's Graveyard. This card gains 100 ATK for each monster in the Graveyard)

"When Everbright Enchanter is Synchro Summoned," Eric explained, "all of our removed from play monsters are returned to the Graveyard. In addition, it will gain 100 ATK for each monster in the Graveyard. Since there are 7 monsters total in our Graveyards, my monster's ATK becomes 3300."

"Incredible," Whirlpool gasped in awe.

"You can never blame bad luck for your shortcomings," Eric said. "You have to keep trying and achieve your goals with your own power. Then, when you overcome impossible odds, this is how bright your future will become. Everbright Enchanter, direct attack! Shining Beam of Radiance!"

Raising its staff, the mage unleashed a radiant wave of warm light across the field, illuminating everything it made contact with. All the emotions that built up from this duel resonated brilliantly in one luminous moment of truth. (300/0)

November 13, 3050 7:25 PM

Minutes later, Whirlpool was escorted to a police car, which would soon bring him to the station. As he sat in the car with his hands cuffed, Eric approached him for some final words.

"Those cards you took from other duelists," Eric said, "you never put them in your deck, did you?"

"No," Whirlpool smiled solemnly. "I gave them all to my boys. The only cards I needed were my pop's."

"For a Dark Chaser," Eric grinned, "you're pretty alright."

"No," Whirlpool said, "I'm not a Dark Chaser anymore. At heart, I never really was."

Whirlpool looked down for a moment of silence to reflect on his past actions.

"Listen," he said, looking at Eric with eyes that screamed of determination, "I'm going to do my time and pay for my sins. Afterwards, I'm going to start over and try to get into Duel Academy again. Just like you, I'll give it everything I've got. Maybe then, I'll become the kind of man my pop wanted me to be."

"When that time comes," Eric smiled, reaching out his hand, "I'll meet you at the pro league."

Whirlpool reciprocated that smile and happily accepted the handshake. With that, he left on his journey of atonement.

"I must say," Gareth said, approaching from behind, "you're one strange guy."

"I'm just a duelist," Eric replied. "Nothing more. Nothing less."

"You had that ending planned the whole time," Gareth chuckled. "You did way more than you needed to, and just to give that criminal a little hope before he faced Hell."

"I don't know what happened to you," Eric frowned, "but you've changed a lot from preschool."

"What do you mean?" Gareth asked, his expression hardening.

"Just like how you gave me hope in the past by returning my cards from those bullies," Eric said, "I gave that man the tools to walk the right path. What he's facing now isn't judgment from Hell, but rather a trial to climb back up to the light. If you were the same person from back then, you would understand that."

"I'm starting to remember now," Gareth snickered. "You're that boy who cried in the corner everyday because he couldn't stand up to his enemies. Indeed, I did fight those bullies and return your cards, but you misunderstand something. I wasn't trying to give you hope or anything. My intent was much nobler. I was simply performing my role as an individual with power. Those with power have a duty to protect those weaker than them and to enforce justice. That is the principle of noblesse oblige."

"That's what makes you full of s***," Eric snarled. "Protecting the weak? Enforcing justice? That's not proof of your resolve. That's the delusion of a self-righteous glory seeker. You think you're doing the right thing, but all you're doing is looking for self-gratification. That's what's wrong with the duelists you recruit and that's what's wrong with you!"

"So you won't help me, who's trying to save the world from evil," Gareth said, seething with rage, "but you'd help some low-life Dark Chaser scum?"

"Yeah," Eric said, glaring vehemently into Gareth's eyes. "I helped him because I respect him as a duelist. But you, and your band of wannabe heroes, I will never acknowledge!"

For the first time in his life, Gareth saw the turned back of the same person twice. Never before had someone rejected him twice after hearing what he had to say. What Eric did just now left a permanent crack in Gareth's pride, leaving him completely and utterly shocked. For several minutes, he didn't say a word or move an inch. He had one thought and one thought only.

_I will make Eric Lambert mine._


	4. Chapter 4

Yu-Gi-Oh! D.T.

Chapter 4: Eric's Decision, the Solitary Moon vs. the Righteous Flame

November 14, 3050 8:46 PM

The man in the black cloak called a direct attack as his monster fired a blast at the opponent, an old man.

_He was nothing_, thought the man.

There was nothing special about his deck. He didn't even have trouble defeating that so-called rare card of his. The old man kneeled on the ground crying after the Dark Chaser general took away his most valuable card. Without an ounce of regret, the man in black kicked the senior back as he tried to beg for his card. Nothing he did since he joined the Dark Chasers had been done with regret. He had learned to contain his heart's feelings through the use of his darkness deck, the devil he had traded his soul to for victory. Slipping his newly obtained card into his pocket, the man in black drove away on his duel runner, blowing dust into the old man's face.

November 14, 3050 9:50 PM

Gareth sat quietly in his office, researching Eric's history through his extensive database. What Eric had told him was true. He had attended Dueling Star kindergarten, graduated from Neo Domino Intermediate School, and received his duelist diploma from Duel Academy at the early age of 17, just like Gareth did. However, the only difference was that he had been in Obelisk Blue while Eric had been in Slifer Red, unable to rise to the top because he couldn't afford it. The difference between him and Eric wasn't that he couldn't relate to being poor; he had spent a great deal of his life living in miserable conditions. It was the idea that he was a great duelist because he was raised and trained by a noble family with plentiful resources, while Eric, a low-class citizen, could duel just as well even without that background. Sure he had scouted some good duelists from poor communities, but there was something different about Eric. It was as if he had a certain wisdom, a certain understanding of the world that he showed in his dueling. It was for this reason that Gareth was so interested in him. It was for this reason that Gareth had decided he would have Eric join his company whatever it took.

November 14, 3050 10:29 PM

His room illuminated by the pale moonlight, Eric layed on his bed looking through his deck. He could feel every strategy in his head, like the souls of his cards were performing a mental play for him, a play he could never get tired of. Everything that he had accomplished in dueling was due to his belief in his cards, whether they were strong or not. He had always believed that every card he drew, every card he played, was meant for a greater purpose, to help build a greater entity. Duel Monsters was like a war, and a war could be won from many strategies other than simply crushing your opponent's forces head on. That was why he liked the game. But what made him love it was another aspect: the fact that what constituted a strong army was not the strength of its individual soldiers, but rather the trust between them and their general. This was the belief that his father had passed down to him and the belief that he continued to demonstrate in each of his duels.

He pulled a certain card out from his deck: Moonstar Dragon. This was the only card given to him by his mother, and for this exact reason, his most cherished card. It was her greeting present when she had just given birth to him, as well as her farewell present when she had died minutes after. At least, that was what he was told. Eric loved each one of his cards, but this was the one card he could not live without. It was for this reason that he fell into depression during kindergarten when it was taken from him by his classmates. During that time, he had skipped meals and cried daily for almost a week. That was until he was pulled out of the darkness by a certain someone: Gareth.

Gareth was that boy who had returned his cards, his very first friend. Eric had always omitted Moonstar Dragon from his deck because of a promise that he wouldn't use it until he had properly thanked the person who had returned it to him. But now that he had finally seen Gareth again, he was hesitant about it. Having always envisioned his savior as an upstanding person to be admired, Eric was shocked and disappointed by the kind of person Gareth was now. He was arrogant, moralless, and of all things, hopelessly romantic. Of course, that was just what Eric thought in the brief time they spent together. Was his judgment wrong? What could have possibly happened to turn that nice boy into this glory-seeking wretch? What blackened his passionate red flames?

This led Eric to another thought. Why did Gareth want him to join D.T. Corporation so badly? His fire deck was unarguably strong, strong enough to make Eric question whether he could actually beat him in a duel. From the number of uniformed men he saw the other day, he couldn't imagine that Gareth had a shortage of members. Eric's mind then delved into a dark territory. Maybe it had to do with his cards. Maybe, like the Dark Chasers, he was only interested in the cards that Eric had. Eric's stomach churned when he considered the possibility of Gareth, the man who had returned Moonstar Dragon to him, taking it back. His mind filled with uncertainty, Eric tried to shrug off the thought, closing his eyes and drifting into a deep slumber.

November 15, 3050 9:04 AM

The next morning, Eric awoke to a soft humming. As he opened his eyes, he felt a soft breeze. The humming grew louder. Eric's eyes widened with fear when he saw what looked like a card glying directly at him, traveling at an incredible, air-splitting velocity. Fearing for his life, Eric quickly ducked and watched with shock as the card cut a layer of paint from the wall it hit before falling gently into Eric's lap. Sighing of relief, Eric noticed that the card had a message: "Now you don't have a choice." Suddenly, a group of men in familiar black uniforms barged into the room and grabbed Eric. Although he tried to resist, he couldn't overpower multiple attackers. In a matter of seconds, Eric's mouth was covered by a cloth sprayed with chloroform and his consciousness slowly faded. The last thing he remembered seeing was a blurred image of a man in a red blazer.

November 15, 3050 11:53 PM

Eric awoke tied to a chair in a dark room with minimal lighting. Gareth stood at the corner with his uniformed employees guarding the exits.

"What do you want from me?" Eric asked angrily.

"The answer is obvious," Gareth replied. "I want you to be a member of D.T. Corporation."

"My answer is still the same."

"Not for long," Gareth grinned. "Name your price."

His employees gasped and whispered among themselves, shocked that their boss would go to such lengths to recruit one man.

"I refuse," Eric said.

"I am willing to double your salary if you join me."

"I still refuse," Eric growled. "You won't buy me with money!"

"Cards!" Gareth shouted, suddenly irritated by Eric's stubbornness. "I'll give you all the cards you want for your deck!"

"I'm perfectly happy with my deck the way it is now!" Eric yelled back.

"I have connections!" Gareth bellowed. "I can give you whatever you want!"

"I want nothing!" Eric answered.

"Drugs! Women! Men! I can get you all of that!"

"No!" Eric roared.

"Then what?" Gareth screamed. "What the hell do you want?"

"I won't join you," Eric growled, "even if you got on your knees and begged."

Gareth's head fell and his broad shoulders slumped. His employees all gasped at the sight of their boss, who had always been so confident and optimistic, looking defeated. A deafening silence filled the room. Minutes passed without a single sound being made.

"Then," Gareth finally muttered, "I will duel you for it."

"What?" Eric asked.

"I said I'll duel you for it!" Gareth shouted. "You said that if someone wants something, they should duel for it, right? I challenge you to a duel for your employment in my company!"

Nothing could be heard except the excited breathing of the company's CEO, who seemed to be going insane from his obsession with recruiting Eric. No one spoke. Not the flabberghasted Eric, who sat bound to a chair. Not Gareth's employees, who stood shocked by the sight of their boss in such a flustered state. Everyone was too afraid to speak.

Then, all of a sudden, there was laughter. Gareth's employees thought that he had finally snapped, consumed by madness after failing to achieve a goal he had pursued obsessively.

But that was not the case. The laughter was coming from Eric.

"Okay," Eric said, still chuckling. "That's more like it. I accept your challenge."

Gareth sighed of relief before starting to laugh himself. After all of Gareth's tricks, after their heated exchange, both had found this simple solution so hilariously ironic that they continued laughing for several more minutes.

After being untied from his chair, Eric was silently led through several doors and elevators, all of which were accessed by a convoluted system of passwords and identification cards. Finally, after about ten minutes, he was brought into a large room with a massive duel arena. It was a carefully painted field on the ground with Life Point counters on each side and high-tech machinery to project the highest quality images of the cards. Although Eric had nothing but disdain for the vices of the wealthy, he couldn't help but feel excited for the kind of duel they were going to have.

"I see you're impressed by my state-of-the-art dueling field," Gareth smiled. "You're going to be even more impressed by my dueling skills. Shall we begin?"

"Now is as good a time as any!" Eric grinned eagerly as he equipped his duel disk.

"Duel!" both shouted together.

"My stage, my turn," said Gareth arrogantly. "I summon Fierce Swordsman in attack mode!"

An array of dazzling lights appeared from the high-tech arena, materializing a surprisingly realistic hologram of a human swordsman clad in leather armor. The quality of the hologram was so high that one could easily mistaken his monster for a real person.

(Fierce Swordsman: Level 4/EARTH/Warrior/ATK-2000 DEF-1900/Effect- When this monster attacks, it loses 300 ATK)

"Now I activate the Field Spell Realm of Fire!" Gareth shouted, slamming the card onto his duel disk.

Eric gawked half admiringly and half fearfully as the entire room burst into flames and lava flowed in from various cracks in the walls. Demonic gargoyle statues rose from the ground as fire and magma flew in each direction, the pattern of which Eric likened to water fountains and fireworks.

(Each Standby Phase, each player gains 1 Flame Counter. During each player's Main Phase, they can activate the following effects: Pay 4 counters to deal 800 points of damage to their opponent, Pay 8 counters to draw 1 card, Pay 10 counters to destroy 1 card on the field.)

"What is this?" Eric exclaimed. "I've never seen this card before!"

"Although my company exists for the sole purpose of fighting the Dark Chasers," Gareth explained, "it generates capital from the manufacture and sale of Duel Monsters-related equipment such as duel disks and duel runners. We even contribute to the development of new cards, with the permission of Industrial Illusions of course. This makes it easier to supply my employees with the best equipment for combating the Dark Chasers."

"I see," Eric said. "So that card was something that you created yourself. What does it do?"

"I'm considered a genius at dueling," Gareth boasted, "but my real talents lie in turbo dueling. I personally favor it as well. This card serves to simulate a turbo duel in the realm of a normal duel by establishing rules similar to those of Speed World 2 via a Field Spell. Each player gains 1 Flame Counter every Standby Phase, and during each player's turn, they can activate any of 3 effects: remove 4 counters to deal 800 damage, remove 8 counters to draw 1 card, or pay 10 counters to destroy 1 card on the field."

"Interesting," Eric grinned. "I've always wanted to play in a turbo duel."

"So I see this is a win-win situation," Gareth smirked. "I set 2 cards face down. Turn end."

"My turn," said Eric, nodding as he observed the Flame Counters increasing for both him and Gareth. (1/1) "I discard Bright Star to Special Summon Moonlight Viking!"

A light brighter than any Eric's ever seen shined on his field, disappearing in a flash to reveal his axe-wielding monster.

(Bright Star: Level 1/LIGHT/Psychic/ATK-500 DEF-0/Effect: If this card is sent to the Graveyard, you can Special Summon it to your side of the field on your next Standby Phase)

(Moonlight Viking: Level 5/LIGHT/Warrior/ATK-2200 DEF-300/Effect: You can discard 1 card from your hand to Special Summon this card from your hand. If you do, you cannot summon another monster this turn)

"Moonlight Viking, attack Fierce Swordsman!"

"Not so fast!" Gareth yelled. "I activate my Quick Spell Burst into Flames! This will decrease your monster's ATK by 800!"

Moonlight Viking howled as it charged at Gareth's monster, but before it made contact, it suddenly caught on fire and fell to its knees writhing in pain. Taking this opportunity, Fierce Swordsman raised its sword and slashed the viking in half. (3400/4000)

(When your opponent's monster attacks or is attacked by your Fire attribute monster, decrease that monster's ATK by 800. If its ATK is greater than that of your monster, you can negate all battle damage this turn and draw 1 card)

"Damn," Eric complained. "I set 2 cards face down. Turn end."

"This is already a bad start for you," Gareth chuckled. "You might as well quit now before I decide not to hire you because your dueling skills are lacking."

"Just go," Eric frowned.

"My turn!" declared Gareth. (2/2) "I summon the Tuner monster Fire Spirit of the Sword!"

A generic straight sword appeared on the field, falling unimpressively until a serpentine trail of fire with black eyes emerged from the hilt of the sword, revealing itself as the true monster.

(Fire Spirit of the Sword: Level 3/FIRE/Pyro/ATK-0 DEF-2000/Effect: Once per turn, you can equip or unequip this card to a Warrior type monster. This card can be used for a Synchro Summon while equipped to a monster. (A monster can only by equipped with 1 Union Monster at a time. If the equipped monster would be destroyed, destroy this card instead.))

"I'm tuning level 4 Fierce Swordsman with level 3 Fire Spirit of the Sword," Gareth announced. "Searing flames engulf the world! Bolt from the smoldering fire! Synchro Summon! Appear, Swift Flare Knight!"

Gareth's two monsters erupted in flames and slowly disintegrated into ashes. However, a massive sphere of churning fire appeared instantly on the field. The hologram effects felt so real that Eric could almost feel the heat radiating from the raging flames. After several seconds, the sphere exploded with jets of fire spewing in every direction. What remained was a gallant warrior wearing shining red armor, and wielding a shield and sword.

(Swift Flare Knight: Level 7/FIRE/Warrior/ATK-2500 DEF-1500/Effect-Deal 100 points of damage for each synchro material monster that was used to Synchro Summon this card to your opponent at the End Phase)

"Now," Gareth grinned mischievously, "I activate the Continuous Spell Kurohouka!"

Just like in his previous duel, not only his monsters, but also his field was turned completely black. If Gareth's first field resembled Hell, then this new dark field was something even more terrible. Although Eric knew that this effect was only for psychological damage, he couldn't help but shiver at the horrific sight.

(All Fire attribute monsters on the field also become Dark attribute monsters and gain 200 ATK and DEF)

"Swift Flare Knight," Gareth commanded, "direct attack! Flaming Slash!"

"Your tricks may have worked on the Dark Chasers," Eric said, "but they won't work on me! I activate the Trap card Double Spy! This negates all damage I take this turn and lets me summon a level 3 monster from my hand! I summon Moonlight Boxer!"

As Gareth's dark knight thrust its black sword at the enemy, a muscular boxer in light blue clothing dashed onto the field, blocking its attack.

(Negate all damage received this turn. You can Special Summon a Level 3 monster from your hand)

(Moonlight Boxer: Level 3/LIGHT/Warrior/ATK-1700 DEF-800/Effect-Once per duel, you can Special Summon a monster this card destroyed to your side of the field)

"Not bad," Gareth grinned. "Turn end."

"My turn," said Eric. (3/3) "At my Standby Phase, Bright Star is Special Summoned to my field."

Eric's monster, a small radiant orb of light, blinked onto the field.

"Now, I summon Brightglow Dragon in attack mode!"

Following the orb of light, a shining portal appeared on Eric's field, revealing a white dragon of medium size.

(Brightglow Dragon: Level 4/LIGHT/Dragon/ATK-1600 DEF-300/Effect-If this card is Normal Summoned while you have no monsters on your side of the field, you can Special Summon a level 4 or lower LIGHT attribute Tuner monster from your hand)

"Let me tell you something," Eric suddenly said. "I have a card that means more to me than my own life."

"If it's you," Gareth smiled, "that's not too surprising."

"This card was given to me by my mother before she died," he continued. "It was a card that brought me joy when I had it and absolute despair when it was taken from me."

"Don't tell me-," Gareth exclaimed, beginning to realize what Eric was talking about.

"That's right," Eric said. "You were the one who saved me back then when you fought those bullies and gave me my cards back. I've always wanted to thank you, but you moved away that year."

"Yeah," Gareth said softly, remembering his childhood. "A lot's happened since then."

"I promised myself that I wouldn't use this card until I've properly thanked the person who gave it back to me," Eric explained.

"Well," Gareth laughed, "here I am."

"No," Eric frowned. "You're not him. The one who fought those bullies and returned my cards was a kind-hearted boy with a just sense of right and wrong."

Gareth didn't say a word.

"I don't know exactly what happened to you in the last fifteen years," Eric said, "but it's clear to me that it wasn't too nice. These black flames of yours depict the darkness in your heart. Your noble red flames have been tainted by something sinister."

"Don't talk like you know me," Gareth said bitterly. "You don't know what I've seen. If you did, you'd know that the world is cruel, and that the only way to make things right is to inflict the same pain to those who inflict pain to others."

"You're right," Eric said. "I don't know what you've been through. But I do know that instead of fighting for what you truly believe, you've given into the rage and sadness in your heart, and you're trying to make others share your pain. Perhaps in your quest to fight the Dark Chasers, your intent is noble, but the flame of your resolve is black. You've lost sight of your path in the darkness of the world you've seen. But now, it's my turn to pull you out of that darkness. It's my turn to show you the light."

"What are you-?" Gareth asked before being interrupted.

"I'm tuning level 3 Moonlight Boxer and level 4 Brightglow Dragon with level 1 Bright Star!" Eric declared. "The shining moon guides all to greatness. Glisten brightly in your shining grace! Synchro Summon! Ignite, Moonstar Dragon!"

Eric's three monsters transformed into pillars of turbulent light energy, rotating furiously with tremendous force. Seconds later, they joined together to form a triangular structure that began to rotate as one entity, forming a single, large column of brilliant light. All at once, the pillar released its energy, filling the room with a warm luminescence. As the light faded, what stood on Eric's field was a beautiful silver dragon with shining scales and angelic wings. It announced its presence with a powerful howl, scattering the vibrant moondust floating gently around its majestic silhouette. Its very presence appeared to illuminate the room once oppressed by Gareth's black flames.

(Moonstar Dragon: Level 8/LIGHT/Dragon/ATK-2600 DEF-3000/Effect: You can remove this card from play to Special Summon a monster from your Graveyard. It gains the ATK and DEF of this card. On your 2nd Standby Phase after you activate this effect, Special Summon this card)

For a good minute, Gareth stared in complete awe at the holiness of the being which stood before him, blissfully entranced by its sheer beauty.


	5. Chapter 5

Yu-Gi-Oh! D.T.

Chapter 5-Extreme Heat, Extinguish the Flames of Pain

November 16, 3050 12:31 AM

On his way to Battle City, the man in the black cloak stopped for some drinks at a dueling bar. Dueling bars were hangouts for tough underground duelists who liked to compete against each other for money while enjoying all the worldly vices of any normal bar. Although it reeked of immorality, the man was in no position to judge. Plus, it was a great place to learn of current or upcoming events in the dueling world. However, things got a little messy now and then. He just happened to come in at one of those times. A skinny dark man lost to a bratty young lady. Though she attracted the eyes and hearts of many duelists in the bar with her ravishing looks, she was also a fearsome duelist. She was probably good enough to never lose in the underground world. It was just her misfortune for owning a rare card the organization was looking for.

The skinny man took out a blade and threatened to kill her if she didn't give him her rare card. Everyone was prepared for an all-out brawl. The man took one last drink of his whiskey and decided to do his job. With one knock on the head, he sent the skinny man flying through the wall. The crowd hushed and whispered at the man's god-like strength. He activated his duel disk and faced the woman, who cockily activated hers in response, completely unaware of just how poor her decision was until a minute later.

November 16, 3050 1:34 AM

"I activate my Trap card Shining Glow!" Eric declared. "This equips to Moonstar Dragon and gives it 1000 ATK. Moonstar Dragon, attack Swift Flare Knight! Emanating Pulsar!"

Moonstar Dragon, suddenly enveloped by a translucent glow, amassed billions of photons to form a bright sphere of light energy in its mouth. When the ball grew to half the size of its entire body. the shining dragon threw its head forward, unleashing a powerful stream of energy that completely disintegrated Gareth's knight. (3200/3100)

(Equip this card to a LIGHT attribute monster. It gains 1000 ATK and cannot be destroyed by card effects)

"Turn end," Eric smiled, satisfied with his move.

However, his smile suddenly faded when he noticed a grin on his opponent's face.

"What's so funny?" Eric asked suspiciously.

"You took me by surprise there," Gareth said, "when you summoned that monster."

"Of course," Eric said. "This is my true ace monster. There's no way you wouldn't be impressed."

"That's not it," Gareth replied. "What surprised me was the fact that you owned a Nature Dragon."

"Nature Dragon?" Eric asked.

"The Nature Dragons," Gareth explained, "are a collection of six Synchro Monsters whose power is said to rival that of the Signer Dragons. No one knows just how they came to be. The only thing known about them is that the duelist doesn't choose them; they choose the duelist."

"Well," Eric said, "I don't know what you're talking about, but I got Moonstar Dragon from my mom. I don't know anything about who choosing who, but I know that he's my best friend and he's going to help me win this duel."

"Indeed," Gareth smirked, "it's only fitting that the Light Nature Dragon would choose someone like you. But you're mistaken about one thing: you're not going to win."

"I'd like to see what you can do," Eric smirked back.

"My turn," Gareth said. (4/4) "When I have no monsters, I can Special Summon Rising Dragon!"

The floor of the duel field rumbled loudly as a hazel-colored dragon burst from underneath.

(Rising Dragon: Level 5/EARTH/Dragon/ATK-2000 DEF-0/Effect-This card can be Special Summoned from your hand if you have no monsters on your side of the field. If you summon it this way, its ATK is cut in half)

"Next, I summon the Tuner monster Flame Soul!"

A small flame kindled itself from thin air, slowly enlarging to form a fireball with white eyes.

(Flame Soul: Level 3/FIRE/Pyro/ATK-500 DEF-0/Effect-This card can be Special Summoned from your hand if there is a Level 5 monster on the field)

"I'm tuning level 5 Rising Dragon with level 3 Flame Soul," Gareth declared. "Searing flames engulf the world! Soar from the smoldering fire! Synchro Summon! Incinerate, Crimson Blaze Dragon!"

Rising Dragon burst into flames and transformed into a glowing pillar of fire, while Flame Soul flew in circles around it, leaving a blazing spiral trail. Within the tower of flames, Eric sensed a heartbeat, one that beat steadily at first and then gradually quickened. Whatever Gareth was summoning, Eric's own heart was beating at the same rate, sensing the destructive power contained in those flames. In an slow and sinister fashion, the pillar of fire condensed to form the silhouette of a dragon even larger than Eric's, its heart still beating at an audibly quick rate. In a single stroke, the dragon brushed aside all the flames surrounding it, revealing a bulky frame with sharp, crimson scales. Despite its fearsome appearance, this dragon gave off a majestic feeling, something about the absolute confidence exuded from both it and its master. However, whatever majesty that dragon had vanished when it was coated in black by Kurohouka.

(Crimson Blaze Dragon: Level 8/FIRE/Dragon/ATK-2800 DEF-1600/Effect-When this monster is Synchro Summoned, deal 500 points of damage to your opponent. Each time this monster attacks, discard one card from your opponent's hand. If they don't have cards in their hand, destroy 1 card on the field instead or deal 500 points of damage to your opponent)

"So," Eric said nervously, "it looks like I wasn't the only one hiding an ace monster."

"This is Crimson Blaze Dragon," Gareth smiled proudly, "the Nature Dragon of Fire."

"It's as you said before," Eric smirked. "The dragon chooses the duelist. This monster is very fitting of you. The arrogance and violent nature are both there."

"I'm flattered," Gareth said sarcastically, "but instead of talking about it, let me show you. When Crimson Blaze Dragon is Synchro Summoned, you take 500 points of damage from its effect!"

"What?" Eric exclaimed.

The bright red dragon threw its head back and snapped it forward to launch a tremendous fireball at Eric, creating a massive explosion on his field. (2700/3100)

"If I haven't said it before," Eric frowned, "this beast is just like you, making a distasteful first impression like that."

"Once again," Gareth smiled, "I'm flattered. But I don't want you to think poorly of me, so that's all the damage I'll do this turn. Turn end."

_Strange,_ Eric thought. _He summoned his ace monster just to deal a little bit of effect damage? No. Knowing Gareth, that isn't his true aim. He duels with the intent of unnerving his opponents with psychological damage. Most likely, he summoned a monster weaker than Moonstar Dragon to tempt me into attacking it, and the effect damage served as a message saying "Tag, you're it." An amateur would probably be provoked enough to attack head-on and fall into Gareth's trap. Sadly for him, I'm no amateur._

"My turn!" shouted Eric. (5/5) "I summon Moonlight Axe Wielder in defense mode. This will prevent you from activating Trap cards during the Battle Phase."

An axe-wielding warrior clad in white armor descended from the sky, taking a defensive stance.

(Moonlight Axe Wielder: Level 4/LIGHT/Warrior/ATK-1700 DEF-1200/Effect: While this card is face up on the field, your opponent cannot activate any Trap cards during the Battle Phase)

"I see," Gareth smiled. "You saw through my strategy. Well, no matter. If I can't activate my Trap in the Battle Phase, then I'll just use it now! I activate Heat Wave! Your monsters can't attack this turn!"

As the card's name suggested, a simmering wave of heat passed through the field, innervating Eric's monsters and stopping them from moving.

(While you control a Fire attribute monster, none of your opponent's monsters can attack this turn)

_Damn this guy,_ Eric cursed mentally. _He's treating this like some kind of test for me. He made sure that even if I figured out and tried to stop his plan, it still wouldn't do any good. But..._

"Maybe I can't attack," Eric said, "but I can still deal damage! I play the Quick Spell Crescent Moon Beam! If I have a Light attribute monster, I can deal you 1000 damage. But, I can't use any Spells or Traps until my next Standby Phase."

Both of Eric's monster collected light energy and fired a beam at Gareth, striking him for half his total Life Points. (2700/1100)

(When you control a Light attribute monster, deal your opponent 1000 points of damage. You cannot activate a Spell or Trap card until your next Standby Phase)

"Turn end."

"Well well," grunted Gareth. (6/6) "You're not bad either. You dealt me a large amount of damage while avoiding the card's drawback, since you have no set cards to begin with. I applaud you."

"I'm flattered," Eric grinned, mocking Gareth by imitating him.

"You ought to learn some manners," Gareth said. "Perhaps I'll teach them to you. I activate the Quick Spell Blazing Wing! Crimson Blaze Dragon gains 1000 ATK and can attack twice this turn!"

The red dragon's wings, with their already humongous wingspan, ignited and burned with murky black flames, increasing its ferocity.

(Activate only if "Crimson Blaze Dragon" is on your side of the field. It gains 1000 ATK and can attack twice this turn)

"Crimson Blaze Dragon," Gareth commanded, "attack Moonlight Axe Wielder! Scorching Flame of Destruction! When Crimson Blaze Dragon attacks, I can discard that last card in your hand!"

"What?" Eric exclaimed. "What an overpowered effect!"

Crimson Blaze Dragon flew in the sky and shot a large fireball at the warrior, obliterating all traces of it. Eric reluctantly slid his last card into his Graveyard.

"Now," Gareth continued, "I attack Moonstar Dragon! Scorching Flame of Destruction! Crimson Blaze Dragon's effect activates once more. However, since you have no more cards in your hand, I can destroy a card on the field, such as your Shining Glow! That means that Moonstar loses 1000 ATK!"

"This monster is absolutely broken!" Eric exclaimed.

Before attacking, Crimson Blaze Dragon roared into the air, setting Moonstar Dragon on fire and dispelling the light surrounding it. It then proceeded with its attack, launching a black fireball and blasting Eric's monster into oblivion. Eric grunted at the knockback effect, as well as the pain of seeing his favorite monster being destroyed. (1300/1100)

"With no cards on your field or in your hand," Gareth smiled, "it looks like I win. Turn end."

"Don't get cocky," Eric said as he gritted his teeth. (7/7) "My turn! I summon the Tuner monster Moonlight Guard in defense mode!"

An armored warrior bearing a large, steel shield appeared from a blue portal, kneeling to defend its master.

(Moonlight Guard: Level 3/LIGHT/Warrior/ATK-0 DEF-2000/Effect: If your opponent's monster attacks this card, all of your opponent's monsters' effects are negated. As long as every monster in your Graveyard is LIGHT attribute, this card cannot be destroyed in battle)

"Moonlight Guard can't be destroyed by battle as long as every card in my Graveyard is Light attribute," Eric said. "Turn end."

"My turn," smiled Gareth. (4/8) "I activate Realm of Fire's effect. By removing 4 counters, I deal you 800 points of damage!"

To Eric's surprise, one of the gargoyles surrounding the duel arena opened its mouth and fired a black laser at him, chunking a portion of his Life Points. (500/1100)

"Now I'll do it again," Gareth said, almost laughing. "Welcome to DT Corporation!" (0/8)

"Not so fast," Eric countered. "I remove Moonlight Condenser from my Graveyard to avoid taking damage and destroy one of your monsters! I destroy Crimson Blaze Dragon!"

(Moonlight Condenser: Level 1/LIGHT/Spellcaster/ATK-0 DEF-0/Effect: If you are about to take effect damage, you can remove this card from play from your Graveyard to negate the damage and destroy one monster on the field)

"But that card wasn't in your Graveyard!" Gareth exclaimed. "Wait-!"

"How quickly we forget," Eric grinned. "That card was sent to the Graveyard when your monster attacked me. It was your own effect that backfired against you!"

The gargoyle fired another laser at Eric, only to be stopped by a magical barrier, which reflected the laser at an unsuspecting Crimson Blaze Dragon. Howling in anguish, it exploded in flames.

"I guess it's over," Gareth sighed. "I was careless."

"It was more than just that," Eric said. "You were so caught up in winning that you didn't consider the card you discarded. That shows that in this duel, you're actually having fun."

"Me?" Gareth said. "Having fun? I can't afford to have fun while the fate of the world is at stake!"

"It's that attitude that makes you weak," Eric said. "You're just using your cards as your personal soldiers instead of your comrades at arms. That makes you a tyrant, not a duelist! When you tried to finish the duel because you were excited, you were being a real duelist."

"I think I've had enough of your lectures," Gareth grunted. "If being a 'real duelist' is going to make me lose, then I don't want any part of it!"

"You're wrong," Eric said. "It wasn't you having fun that destroyed your monster or stopped you from finishing me. It was my faith in my cards and their faith in me."

"Just finish me off already," Gareth sighed. "You have enough Flame Counters to deal me 1600 damage."

"I won't do that," Eric said.

"What?" Gareth exclaimed, his eyes nearly popping out of its sockets. "Why?"

"Slowly burning away your opponent's hope and pride is your way of doing this," Eric explained. "I won't inflict the same damage you inflict on others."

"Bullshit!" Gareth yelled. "Why would you waste such a clear opportunity to win?"

"Because I can trust my cards to win," Eric said. "Dueling with faith in my cards and respect for my opponents: that's what it means to be a duelist!"

At that moment, Gareth felt a hole in his heart. Even though he fought for the sake of justice, even though he did whatever he needed to do to save the world, he couldn't compare to this man. The man who stood before him shined with a light much brighter and much nobler than anyone he's ever met. The fact that he continued to live his life without compromising his beliefs despite everything that's happened to him was truly admirable. From the bottom of his heart, Gareth respected Eric, and for the first time in his life, felt that someone else had proven him wrong.

"My turn, Eric said. (1/9) "I activate Realm of Fire's effect. I remove 8 counters to draw 1 card."

As Eric pulled a card from his deck, a fiery trail followed. (1/1)

"I summon the Tuner monster Lunar Wing in defense mode!" Eric said. "When he's summoned, I get to draw 1 card."

A bird-like creature descended from the sky, its bright, silvery wings glistening with sparkles.

(Lunar Wing: Level 1/LIGHT/Winged-Beast/ATK-0 DEF-0/Effect-When this card is Normal Summoned, you can draw 1 card)

"I set 2 cards face down," Eric said. "Turn end."

_I'm at a serious disadvantage,_ Gareth thought. _Even though I had a huge lead earlier, Eric managed to turn the tables with just 1 card. Now, I have no hand and no field, while he has 2 monsters and 2 set cards to protect them. I seriously underestimated this guy. I'm just lucky that he couldn't summon a strong monster to finish me off this turn._

"My turn," said Gareth. (2/2) "I activate the Continuous Spell Prodigy of Fire!"

"That's the card that's treated as a Spell and monster," Eric frowned.

Ashes flying through the air gave birth to a young boy holding a fireball in each hand. Eric closed his eyes to avoid watching this innocent boy's flames turn black.

(This card is treated as a monster and a trap (Warrior type/Fire/Level 4/ATK 1700/DEF 1200). If this card is destroyed as a monster, deal 500 points of damage to your opponent. If this card is destroyed as a Spell, discard 1 card from your opponent's hand)

"Prodigy of Fire," Gareth said, "attack Lunar Wing!"

"I activate my trap card Moonlight Veil!" Eric countered. "My monsters can't be destroyed this turn and I gain 500 Life Points."

As Gareth's monster threw a fireball at Lunar Wing, a mystic light enveloped it, shielding it from the attack. (1000/1100)

(No LIGHT attribute monsters can be destroyed this turn. You gain 500 Life Points)

"You increased your Life Points because you remembered Prodigy of Fire's effect," Gareth smiled. "Turn end."

"My turn!" Eric shouted. (3/3) "I remove from play my Moonlight Boxer to Special Summon Moonlight Prince in attack mode!"

A ball of light appeared on the field, flashing once to reveal an nobleman in fancy, silk garbs.

(Moonlight Prince: Level 5/LIGHT/Warrior/ATK-1500 DEF-300/Effect: You can Special Summon this card from your hand by removing 1 LIGHT attribute monster in your Graveyard from play)

"I'm tuning level 5 Moonlight Prince with level 1 Lunar Wing," Eric declared. "The shining moon guides all to greatness. Glisten brightly in your destiny! Synchro Summon! Sparkle, Lunar Knight!"

The two monsters disintegrated into particles of light, which rose to the air and collected into one large mass. Without warning, the particles simultaneously rained down, acting as a gateway to another dimension. Stepping out of this gateway was a lance-wielding warrior in shiny blue armor.

(Lunar Knight: Level 6/LIGHT/Warrior/ATK-1800 DEF-1400/Effect-This card can attack until your opponent controls no monsters. This card gains 100 ATK for each monster in your Graveyard)

"Lunar Knight gains 100 ATK for each monster in my Graveyard," Eric said. "There are 6 monsters in my Graveyard so Lunar Knight's ATK becomes 2400! Lunar Knight, attack Prodigy of Fire! Shining Lance!"

Lunar Knight charged and struck Gareth's monster with his lance, skewering it before it burned away in fire. (1000/500)

"Since Prodigy of Fire was destroyed as a monster," Gareth explained, " you take 500 points of damage!"

Residue flames from Gareth's monster flew at Eric, softly brushing past him. (500/500)

"Turn end," Eric said.

"My turned," said Gareth. (4/4) "I remove 4 counters to deal 800 points of damage!"(4/0)

"I activate the Trap card Magnetic Wave!" Eric shouted. "This equips itself to Moonlight Guard and makes it lose ATK or DEF points instead of the damage I would take. Also, Moonlight Guard is now the only monster you can attack!"

A gargoyle fired another black laser, only to be redirected at the shield-wielding warrior, who was left huffing, but otherwise fine.

(The equipped monster loses ATK or DEF points equal to the amount of damage you would take and is the only monster your opponent can attack)

"Moonlight Guard loses 800 DEF," Eric said.

"I activate Burning Rebirth!" Gareth declared. "I revive Crimson Blaze Dragon!"

A pool of lava formed on the ground, bursting open to open a path for the Nature Dragon of Fire from Hell.

(Special Summon "Crimson Blaze Dragon" from your Graveyard. Its effect is negated)

"But its effect is negated," Gareth said. "I can only attack Moonlight Guard, who can't be destroyed by battle, so I end my turn."

"My turn!" yelled Eric, shivering excitedly from the sight of the demonic dragon. (5/1) "I won't let you be the only one to have a Nature Dragon. I activate the Quick Spell Moon Wave Swap! I return Lunar Knight to my Extra Deck to Special Summon Moonstar Dragon from my Graveyard!"

A gold halo hovered above Lunar Knight, absorbing it in a column of light and replacing it with Eric's graceful Nature Dragon of Light.

(Return one monster you control to their owner's hand to Special Summon a monster from your Graveyard. It cannot activate its effect or attack this turn. You can add a card from your deck to your hand if you returned a Synchro monster)

"Since I returned a Synchro Monster," Eric explained, "I can add a card from my deck to my hand. I add Moonlight Wave Generator to my hand."

(Moonlight Wave Generator: Level 2/LIGHT/Machine/ATK-0 DEF-0/Effect: You can discard this card from your hand to have a LIGHT attribute monster gain 1500 ATK and DEF until the End Phase)

"You summoned back your Nature Dragon and added an ATK-boosting card to your hand," Gareth frowned, impressed but annoyed. "It's a good thing Moon Wave Swap doesn't let your monster attack this turn."

"You know your cards too well," Eric sighed. "Turn end."

"My turn!" yelled Gareth. (6/2) "I summon Fire Extinguisher in defense mode!"

A firefighter clad in a red fire jacket and armed with a water hose fell from the sky.

(Fire Extinguisher: Level 1/WATER/Aqua/ATK-200 DEF-0/Effect-You can remove from play all Fire attribute monsters in both players' Graveyards for each player to gain 500 Life Points for each monster removed from each respective Graveyard. You can also destroy 1 Spell or Trap card on the field if you control another monster)

"I activate Fire Extinguisher's effect," Gareth said. "I remove from play all Fire monsters from the Graveyard and gain 500 Life Points for each! I have 3 so I gain 1500 Life Points!"

The firefighter consumed the fiery spirits of Gareth's fallen monsters to charge its hose and sprinkle refreshing water on its master to heal his Life Points. (500/2000)

"Also," Gareth said, "since I had another monster when I activated its effect, I can destroy a Spell or Trap. I destroy Magnetic Wave!"

Turning its hose around, Fire Extinguisher unleashed a torrent of water at Eric's card, causing it to shrivel and crumble.

"Although I can attack you now," Gareth said, "I know you have an ATK-boosting card in your hand. Turn end."

"My turn!" said Eric. (7/3) "Moonstar Dragon, attack Crimson Blaze Dragon with Emanating Pulsar! I discard Moonlight Wave Generator for Moonstar to gain 1500 ATK."

Moonstar Dragon charged a ball of light and unleashed a burst of energy so powerful it illuminated the entire field, vaporizing Crimson Blaze Dragon. (500/900)

"I set 1 card face down," Eric said. "Turn end."

"My turn," Gareth said. (4/4) "This is the end."

"Oh?" Eric grinned. "You can still do something with only 1 monster on your field and 1 card in your hand?"

"That's right," Gareth said. "You destroyed Crimson Blaze Dragon, but you left me with a monster. I summon the Tuner monster Fry Cook of Fire!"

An energetic, middle-aged man dressed in chef's attire stepped onto the field from a red portal, brandishing its two spatulas.

(Fry Cook of Fire: Level 4/FIRE/Warrior/ATK-1400 DEF-1000/Effect-Once per turn, you can tribute one monster you control to Special Summon 2 Fire Burger Tokens (Pyro type/ Fire/level 1/ATK 0/DEF 0))

"Via Fry Cook's effect," Gareth said, "I tribute Fire Extinguisher to summon 2 Fire Burger Tokens!"

The chef summoned a flaming grill and used Fire Extinguisher, who had been transformed into a pair of meat patties, to create two hamburgers.

"I'm tuning my 2 level 1 Fire Burger Tokens with my level 4 Fry Cook of Fire! Searing flames engulf the world! Be born from the smoldering fire! Synchro Summon! Roar, Leoferno!"

Gareth's three monsters formed into orbs of fire that aligned in a spinning, horizontal cylinder, rotating faster and faster until flames burst from both ends. The flames vanished to reveal the familiar fiery lion Eric had known since childhood. The only difference was its sad expression as its flames turned black from Gareth's Kurohouka. However, unlike before, even Gareth could see how his monster had suffered as a result of his actions.

(Leoferno: Level 6/FIRE/Beast/ATK-2400 DEF-1800/Effect-If this card destroys a monster whose original ATK is greater than that of this card, deal 1000 points of damage to your opponent. When this card is destroyed in battle, you can deal 800 points of damage to your opponent or Special Summon a Fire attribute Tuner monster from your Graveyard)

"That card," Eric said, "Kurohouka doesn't suit you."

"Somehow," Gareth said, "I agree. But for now, Leoferno, attack Moonstar Dragon! Infernal Impact!"

Both monsters, a lion shrouded in dark flames and an elegant dragon emanating light, clashed and created a tremendous explosion of polar opposite colors. When the smoke cleared, neither remained standing. Both had been destroyed.

"When Leoferno destroys a monster with higher original ATK than it," Gareth said, "you take 1000 points of damage. Good game."

"Yeah, the game is over," Eric said. "For you that is! I activate my Trap card Damage Reverse! All the damage I would take goes to you!"

(All effect damage you would take this turn is dealt to your opponent instead).

Gareth gasped as he just came to terms with his defeat. Smiling, he admitted to himself that he expected Eric to have a counter. As a sign of respect, Gareth fell to his knees as his own black flames washed over him, wiping out the rest of his Life Points. (500/0)

To lose by one's own hand was the true symbol of defeat. Yet, Gareth realized that he had lost to himself from the very beginning. By sacrificing his integrity for results, he had been tainted by the very darkness that he swore to destroy. This man had shown him that. This man had washed away the darkness that stained his passionate, red flames.

"You are a great duelist," Gareth said. "You have beaten me in this duel, but more importantly, you have beaten me as a human being. I admit defeat. But the next time we duel, I will show you my true crimson flames!"

"I look forward to it," Eric said as he walked away with a grin.

As he walked out the main door, Gareth's face was lit up with a smile. Eric was a wimp in kindergarten but he was now stronger than anyone. Gareth considered what Eric had said about what it meant to be a duelist. He was right. Gareth had forgotten how to enjoy a duel. He had forgotten the meaning of a duel. There was no point in fighting if he didn't do it with trust in his comrades and respect for his opponents. What was the point of making an achievement if he couldn't be proud of it afterwards?

Gareth felt, in a word, enlightened. It was as if Eric had awakened his true self from the darkness he thought was necessary to fight a greater evil. He was the moon that shone in the darkest night, expelling the blackest of shadows and guiding those in need of help. Even though Eric had won his freedom from the company, Gareth knew they would meet again very soon.


	6. Chapter 6

Yu-Gi-Oh! D.T.

Chapter 6: Gareth's Dilemma, The Resolve of Flames

November 23, 3050 8:31 AM

The man in the black cloak entered through the front entrance of the Museum of Duel Monsters History, looking for the super rare card he was instructed to obtain. The museum contained the cards used by former dueling champions: Yuki, Truesdale, Phoenix, Mutou, Fudo, all of them. At least, that's what everybody thought. Throughout the years, the Dark Chasers had succeeded in stealing the actual cards and replacing them with replicas, fooling the public into thinking that the pieces of cardboard they were looking at had been used by famous duelists. The success of these thefts from one of the most highly guarded structures in the world proved just how powerful the Dark Chasers were, and just how right he had been to join them. Smirking condescendingly at the ignorant tourists around him, the man walked straight towards the gallery that showcased the legendary Yusei Fudo's ace monster, Stardust Dragon, which had only recently been discovered buried underground. Standing in the center of the exhibit, the man glanced inconspicuously at the security cameras, memorizing their locations and identifying their blind spots. Smiling to himself, the man made his way outside the museum, already knowing how he would go about stealing the card that night.

November 23, 3050 8:40 AM

In the dim CEO's office on the twentieth floor of the silver D.T. Corporation building in Muto City, Gareth sat in his leather chair thinking deeply about his loss. Eric had told him that he was too busy trying to destroy his opponents instead of having faith in his cards, that he had succumbed to despair and used dueling as an excuse to bring his opponents down to his level. Until now, Gareth had always believed that he was strong because of his grand ambitions, but all along, by pursuing those ambitions the way he did, he was weak. He stared intensely at his cards laid out on his glass table, trying to figure out a flaw in the deck that had never failed him before. His current deck was a compilation of the strongest cards used by his ancestors for generations, including several cards he added himself. Indeed this deck had brought him victory time and time again, but he wasn't satisfied. He had lost to Eric. Yet, he found that the duel he lost was far more enjoyable than all of the hollow victories he had previously achieved. It was true that that was the toughest and funnest duel he'd had in a long time. The last duel he remembered struggling in was the last one he fought against his father before he died of illness, which also happened to be the last duel he remembered enjoying.

Gareth had been using his own deck at that time, the deck that he had built as a child containing all the cards he liked. Since his father's death, Gareth had locked that deck in a safe in his room, deciding that in order to embrace his duty as the successor to his father's company, he had to grow up and become mature. In order to do so, he had abandoned his childhood and pursued anything and everything that would make him stronger. Through years of effort, he had constructed what he deemed to be the ultimate deck that wouldn't lose to anyone. And he hadn't lost, until his duel with Eric. From watching his duels, Gareth observed that Eric's cards weren't particularly strong. Yet, he had managed to win again and again by getting the cards he needed when he needed them. There was no scientific explanation, no logical theory to describe why Eric was such a strong duelist. He and his deck simply gave it their all with unshakeable faith in each other and shined brilliantly as they did so. After that duel, Gareth became extremely curious and truthfully envious of the relationship Eric had with his deck. Determined to seek the answers he desired, Gareth suddenly felt an urge to pay his childhood cards a visit.

November 23, 3050 8:56 AM

As he did every other day, Eric walked to the local market to buy his iced tea. When he opened the glass door, he immediately noticed that the owner Gaige, a middle-aged man, was crying. A man in a luxurious business suit stood smiling next to him, accompanied by two burly bodyguards. He was plump and short with a balding head of gelled back hair and a thin mustache that seemed to arch upwards, the reason for which Eric assumed was the man's constant smiling. With a crying store owner and a dirty-looking businessman, he sensed that there was definitely trouble.

"What's the problem, Mr. Gaige?" Eric asked, approaching them.  
"Go away, pest!" the store owner yelled. "This isn't the time to bug me!"

Eric and the owner Moria Gaige never seemed to avoid a quarrel when they saw each other. Whenever Eric bought something at the store, he would always try to haggle his way into getting discounts, as he was constantly short on money. Accordingly, Mr. Gaige continually rejected his Eric's attempts to save a buck or two and scolded him for his shamelessness. Yet, there was no bitterness between them. In fact, their bickering had become a routine activity that both engaged in with equal fervor.

But this time was different. Eric sensed that Gaige was truly suffering from a painful grief. As much as he disliked Gaige's constant badgering, Eric simply couldn't stand seeing him in this wretched state. Taking a deep breath, Eric approached, intent on finding out what was happening.

"The way I see it," Eric said, "I'm a customer and I have the right to complain."  
"Fine! If I tell you, will you go away?" Gaige shouted. "My son Hajime bombed his last test. He's in an expensive dueling college on scholarship but the school has a strict policy on grades. They told me that I have to pay a fine or else he'll be expelled! I can't afford that! My only option is to sell the store! Now leave!"  
"Now this doesn't seem very fair," Eric pouted. "This officially gets me involved."  
"How so, maggot!?" cried Gaige.  
"If you close the store, how am I going to get my ice tea?"  
"You're complaining about your stupid tea when I'm facing a major crisis?" the store owner exclaimed. "Just get the hell out!"

Ignoring Gaige's words, Eric walked up to the tubby businessman.

"Who are you?" Eric asked him bluntly.  
"My name is Jorgan," the man snickered. "I'm here representing Duelist Elite to collect Mr. Gaige's signature for proof of sale."  
"You're selling your store directly to the school?" Eric asked the store owner. "Is that even legal?"  
"It doesn't matter!" Gaige yelled. "They said that if I don't sell the store, my son will be expelled!"  
"Sounds fishy to me," Eric said.  
"I assure you," Jorgan smirked, "we have the best of intentions."  
"I'm sure you do," Eric scoffed. "Listen, I don't really understand any of this legal stuff, but I'm not going to sit here while my local convenience store gets shut down."  
"What do you propose?" Jorgan asked, his moustache appearing to perk up even more.  
"Duel me," Eric said. "If I win, you'll let this whole thing slide."  
"Interesting," Jorgan said. "And what have you to offer?"  
"This," Eric said, flashing his Moonstar Dragon card. "This is a super rare card, right? I'll give it to you if you win."  
"That's-!" Jorgan exclaimed, his moustache lifting off his face. "That's a Nature Dragon!"  
"Yeah," Eric sighed.

He was annoyed that everyone but him seemed to know about the fabled Nature Dragons when he himself was in possession of one.

"What do you say?" Eric asked firmly.  
"Please excuse me for a moment," Jorgan said, wiping his brow with a handkerchief.

_Is he really that worked up? _Eric thought to himself. _Over these Nature Dragons that I haven't even heard of until a few days ago?_

The plump businessman pulled out a cell phone from his pocket and dialed a number. After explaining the situation to his boss, he nodded several times before hanging up. The smile on his face revealed his answer.

"Very well," Jorgan said. "I accept this duel."

Without any delay, he pulled out a computer and began typing up a contract. Already annoyed by the delay with the phone call, Eric impatiently scribbled his signature on a tablet without even bothering to read the contract. A few minutes later, both stood facing each other on opposite sides of a shopping aisle and activated their duel disks, signaling the beginning of their duel.

"Duel!" both declared simultaneously.

November 23, 3050 9:24 AM

Eric stood with his eyes wide open, panting on the verge of defeat.

"What the hell is this?" Eric exclaimed. "How can you-?"

November 23, 3050 9:29 AM

The game ended in a tie, with Eric narrowly bringing his opponent's Life Points to zero. Glad that he didn't lose, Eric breathed a large sigh of relief. However, upon seeing his opponent's suspicious smirk of content, he knew that something was wrong.

"I guess that means that you owe me your Nature Dragon," Jorgan chuckled.

"What do you mean?" Eric asked. "You didn't beat me."

"Our agreement," Jorgan snickered, "was that I excuse Mr. Gaige if you defeat me. Unfortunately, that was not the case. Therefore, you must concede your bargaining chip."

"Bull!" Eric exclaimed. "You didn't beat me either!"

"On the contrary," Jorgan smiled deviously, "our contract specified that unless you win the duel, you must forfeit your Moonstar Dragon. You did read the contract before you signed it, did you not?"

"You bastard," Eric said through gritted teeth, "you tricked me!"

"I cannot approve of these baseless accusations," Jorgan chuckled, "but as a professional, I will forgive you. Now, if you'll please hand over your card."

"Over my dead body," Eric spat.

Motioning with his hand, Jorgan called on his two bodyguards to retrieve Moonstar Dragon. Realizing the situation, Eric tried desperately to fight back but was easily overpowered by Jorgan's bodyguards, who kicked him several times before tossing him out of the store. As he was writhing with pain on the ground, they searched through his deck and pulled out the card they were instructed to obtain. Bursting with rage at his opponent's trickery and even more so at his own powerlessness, Eric screamed into the air and slammed the ground with his fists until they bled. The pain on his hands were nothing compared to the pain of losing his most cherished card yet again. As his tears trickled onto the floor, Gaige came over and put his hand on Eric's shoulder.  
"That was some really brave stuff out there, kid," he said, trying to comfort Eric. "I appreciate you trying to help. I guess I misjudged you."  
Eric stared at him, shocked at his sudden change in behavior towards him.  
"Thanks," he mumbled as he sat there on the ground mourning the loss of his card.

Suddenly, a burst of wind blew Eric's hair back. Raising his head, Eric saw that Gareth had arrived on a crimson duel runner, gleaming from a new layer of wax. As Gareth raised one of his overarching handles and dismounted his vehicle, Eric tried to avoid eye contact.

"What happened?" Gareth asked. "A duelist of your caliber shouldn't be on the ground."  
"I lost Moonstar Dragon," Eric muttered. "I couldn't protect it."

Gareth was, in a word, aghast. Having lost to Eric, Gareth had regarded him as a top-class duelist whose skills and spirit were unmatched. Yet, here he was, laying in the shame of defeat.

"God damn!" Gareth yelled. "Just a few days ago you were strong enough to beat me and now you're moping around? I can't believe how weak you are despite your dueling skills!"

"Sorry," Eric pouted. "I was just trying to make things right."

Gareth remained silent after hearing Eric's dejected words. If there was anything Gareth despised, it was seeing someone he acknowledged as a worthy individual losing their dignity. His vision of strength was a burning flame, brightly announcing its presence and searing through any obstacle in its path. Gareth regarded anyone who submitted to the strength of others and lost the will to fight as weak and hopeless. However, after meeting Eric, he witnessed a different kind of strength, a strength that seemed to glow even brighter within a weak individual. Although Eric was indeed weak, he outshined everyone in his moments of true strength. Right then, Gareth understood that Eric was strong, but not in the way he imagined. Just as Eric was stronger than anyone, he was also weaker than anyone. The brighter the light, the darker the shadows. He didn't like it, but Gareth recognized that Eric had a dark side, a dark side he now resolved to protect Eric from at all costs. Taking a deep breath, Gareth quelled his anger and turned to face Eric.

"Tell me what happened," Gareth said.

At that moment, Gaige stepped forward to explain the situation.

"I see," Gareth said after understanding what had occurred. "A classic case of the rich taking advantage of the poor."  
"I take offense to that remark," Jorgan snickered. "Mr. Lambert here made an offer and I merely accepted it. I have the contract here if you would like to confirm your suspicions."  
"Just shut up," Gareth said. "I've seen your type too many times to count. You're just trying to get as much money as you can without any regard for the lives you're ruining."  
"I have no business with you," Jorgan said whimsically. "I shall now take my leave."  
"Oh no you don't," Gareth interceded. "You're going to duel me!"  
"I tire of this nonsense," Jorgan sighed. "Guards-."

It was pointless. No sooner had he said those words than Gareth struck the two bodyguards in their solar plexuses, incapacitating both of them in a flash.

"You're going to duel me right now," Gareth said. "If I win, you're going to annul the sale of the store and return Moonstar Dragon."

"V-very well," Jorgan said, a bead of sweat rolling down his face from the sight of his guards being taken down so easily. "And if I win?"

Without missing a beat, Gareth pulled out Crimson Blaze Dragon.

"Another Nature Dragon!" Jorgan exclaimed excitedly. "I accept!"

"You can't!" cried Eric, "His deck is-"

"It doesn't matter," Gareth interrupted. "Based on his sick personality, I already have an idea of how someone as strong as you could lose to a petty man like him. People like him are tricksters, and straightforward people like you are their worst matchup."  
"But-!" Eric tried to protest.  
"Don't worry," Gareth said with a smile. "I'm not the same person you dueled. I'll show you the true color of my flames. I'll get Moonstar Dragon back for you. Just like the old days."

Eric stared in awe and admiration at the man he had refused to acknowledge just days before. In the basement of D.T. Corporation's headquarters, Gareth had looked upon Eric as the shining beacon of light that pulled the darkness from his heart. At this very moment, their roles had been reversed.

Once the contract was drawn, Gareth and Jorgan took their respective sides and activated their duel disks.

"Duel!" both players said at once.

"Since I am giving up the most here," Mr. Jorgan said obnoxiously, "I should go first. I summon Evil Accountant in attack mode."

A short, red goblin with a grotesque face dressed in a black business suit appeared from a black portal, snickering sharply as if to taunt its opponent.

(Evil Accountant: Level 4/DARK/Fiend/ATK-0 DEF-0/Effect: Each time your opponent draws a card, inflict 1000 damage to their Life Points)

"As I expected," Gareth grinned. "Your cards reflect your true, ugly self."

"Your rude comments won't unnerve me," Jorgan chuckled. "I'm a professional businessman, after all. I set 2 cards. Turn end!"

"My turn!" Gareth declared.

"You take 1000 damage for that card you just drew from Evil Accountant's effect!" laughed the banker.

Jorgan's monster sucked Life Points from an unfazed Gareth, laughing hysterically as money rained down from the sky. (3000/4000)

"I Special Summon Rising Dragon from my hand!" Gareth said.

The ground burst open to reveal a familiar umber dragon, ascending violently into the sky.

(Rising Dragon: Level 5/EARTH/Dragon/ATK-2000 DEF-0/Effect-This card can be Special Summoned from your hand if you have no monsters on your side of the field. If you summon it this way, its ATK is cut in half)

"Now," he continued, "I summon Red Tinker in attack mode!"

A red, midget imp emerged from a red portal, hopping playfully left and right.

(Red Tinker: Level 2/FIRE/Fiend/ATK-1000 DEF-1300/Effect-If a card you control is destroyed, look at the top card of your opponent's deck. If it is a monster, deal 500 points of damage to your opponent)

"I'm tuning level 2 Red Tinker with level 5 Rising Dragon," Gareth said. "A burning flame of the soul smolders brightly! Kindle the fire of destruction! Synchro Summon! Burst forth, Houka Lizard!"

Gareth's monsters erupted into columns of fire, swirling and sizzling intensely as they gradually merged to form one large pillar of bright red flames. As the fire dissipated, what remained was a vicious-looking reptile with metallic scales and a flaming vertebra.

(Houka Lizard: Level 7/FIRE/Reptile/ATK-2600 DEF-1500/Effect-You can pay 1000 Life Points to destroy one card on the field)

"I activate my Continuous Trap Synchro Tax!" Jorgan chuckled, unimpressed by the sight of a powerful Synchro monster. "This deals you 1000 damage when you Synchro Summon!"

(When your opponent Synchro Summons a monster, deal 1000 points of damage)

Once more, Gareth's Life Points were deftly sucked from him and transformed into raining bills. Yet, Gareth still remained unshaken. (2000/4000)

"Houka Lizard," Gareth declared, "attack Evil Accountant! Burning Blast!"

"I activate the Continuous Trap Attack Reflection Shield!" Jorgan cackled. "My monsters can't be destroyed and you take 1000 damage for attacking!"

(Your monsters cannot be destroyed by battle. Each time your opponent declares an attack, deal 1000 points of damage)

"However," Gareth countered, "you still take damage!"

The metallic lizard unleashed a torrent of blazing flames at the wicked businessman, burning away a large majority of his Life Points. However, his monster still remained, laughing its chubby head off. (1000/1400)

"Turn end," Gareth said.

Eric mentally noted that Gareth had changed his summoning chant, but his actions were still as crude and destructive as ever. Yet, there was something different about him. He was playing the same way with the same kinds of cards, but his mentality was different. He was still beaming with a confidence that verged on arrogance, but there was a certain sincerity about it. Gareth was in a dire situation, but for some unexplainable reason, Eric had faith that he would win.

"You know," Jorgan said, "I've already won. I can just end my turn and make you take 1000 damage from Evil Accountant's effect on your Draw Phase, and you have no set cards to protect you from it."

"Why don't you try it?" Gareth said, challenging him.

"You're just as pathetic as that other duelist," laughed Jorgan. "My turn. I summon Double Tax Collector in attack mode!"

Another sinister-looking businessman fell onto the field from the sky, brandishing a suitcase full of money.

(Double Tax Collector: Level 2/DARK/Fiend/ATK-0 DEF-0/Effect: Double any effect damage your opponent takes)

"I can end you as is," Jorgan said, "but for security purposes, Double Tax Collector will double all effect damage you take. I set 3 cards face down. Turn end! Now you draw, which eliminates the rest of your Life Points! I win and you lose! You can go ahead and give me your Nature Dragon!"

"This was exactly what he did to me," Eric growled. "He had so much effect damage that I couldn't negate everything."

"Hmph!" Gareth grunted. "That's why you couldn't win."

"What do you mean?" Eric asked curiously.

"The way you duel depends on faith in your cards, right?" Gareth said. "You protect your monsters and put your faith in them to help you win. I think it's really admirable and it suits you perfectly."

"That's right," Eric replied. "They've never failed me before."

"But sometimes," Gareth said, "you can fail them. When you face people with no respect for their opponents or Duel Monsters itself, your optimistic faith in your cards isn't enough. You can't protect them from all the evil in the world if you don't have the resolve to burn all the evil in your path."

"I thought you said you changed," Eric frowned. "How is this different from your past beliefs?"

"In a lot of ways," Gareth admitted, "I can't change. I will always be affected by the atrocities I've seen in my life and I can never forgive the scum who caused them. But one thing's changed. You've shown me that being a true duelist means giving it my all without compromising my integrity. I've thought about it for a long time, and now, it's time for me to show you my answer, my burning resolve, my blazing flame of justice!"

"Just draw your last card," Jorgan chuckled.

"I will," Gareth said, "but first, I activate the effect of the Tuner monster Eater of Flames from my hand. When I'm about to take effect damage, I can Special Summon it and negate the damage!"

As Gareth's Life Points began to be drained from him, an exotic, dark-skinned man dressed in colorful garbs entered the field from a red portal, converting the extracted Life Points into flames and eating them to prevent its master from taking damage.

(Eater of Flames: Level 1/FIRE/Spellcaster/ATK-500 DEF-200/Effect: You can Special Summon this card from your hand to negate taking effect damage. You can decrease a monster you control's ATK by 500 and its level by 1 to negate effect damage)

"You avoided the damage!" Eric exclaimed. "That monster, it's-!"

"You can tell, right?" Gareth smiled. "This monster was one that I had used when I was a child, and probably one that you've fought against in preschool. I realized something after meeting you. The reason why I stood up to those bullies back then wasn't because I wanted to punish evil. It was because I wanted to protect you from it."

"So this," Eric gasped. "This is the way you duel. This is your resolve."

"That's right," Gareth said. "I had forgotten my true reason for fighting: to protect innocent people from the evil in this world. I let the fire in my heart grow dark because I was lost in my grief and hatred. But now, my determination can't be shaken. This monster is the symbol of my true self that I had abandoned years ago and that I reclaim right here and now!"

"Yeah," Eric said. "I can see that you have a strong bond with that card. It seems happy, like it's just been reunited with an old friend."

"Can we just get back to the duel?" Jorgan grunted. "I'm becoming rather impatient."

"I wouldn't ask for that if I were you," Gareth smirked. "Houka Lizard, attack Evil Accountant! Burning Blast!"

"I activate the Continuous Trap Life Force Shield!" Jorgan declared. "I pay 100 Life Points to negate battle damage!"

"Making your opponent pay so much while you pay so little," Gareth said. "How fitting for a greedy pragmatist."

(You can pay 100 Life Points to negate battle damage)

"Economics is my field of expertise," Jorgan boasted. "Let me show you what happens when you play my game. When you attack, Attack Reflection Shield activates, dealing you 1000 damage!"

"I activate Eater of Fire's effect," Gareth countered. "I can reduce Houka Lizard's level by 1 and ATK by 500 to negate effect damage!"

The metal lizard released another flurry of fire, only to be reflected and eaten by Eater of Flames. (Houka Lizard: Level 6/ATK-2100) (1000/1300)

"Next," Gareth declared, "I attack with Eater of Fire!"

"L-life Force Shield and Attack Reflection Shield activate!" Jorgan stammered.

The same sequence of events occurred, resulting in Houka Lizard's further weakening. (Houka Lizard: Level 5/ATK-1600) (1000/1200)

"This will be your last turn," Gareth announced. "I set 4 cards. Turn end!"

"Grrr," grumbled Mr. Jorgan. "I admit you are good, but still nothing against a professional businessman! I summon Maximum Attack Warrior in attack mode!"

A muscular fighter clad in a futuristic-looking suit appeared on the field from a black portal.

(Maximum Attack Warrior: Level 4/DARK/Warrior/ATK-2000 DEF-2000/Effect-This card gains 100 ATK or each Spell and Trap card on your side of the field)

"When I make an investment," Jorgan smirked, "I expect to have great returns! Maximum Attack Warrior gains 500 ATK for each Spell and Trap card on my side of the field. I have 5 so it has a total of 2500 ATK!"

Tubes extended from the warrior's suit and attached themselves to Jorgan's Spells and Traps, empowering it with energy.

"You are truly a businessman through and through," Gareth sneered.

"Indeed," Jorgan snickered. "Maximum Attack Warrior, attack that troublesome Eater of Fire!"

"I activate the Trap card Fire Wall!" Gareth shouted. "I halve all battle damage and prevent my monster's destruction!"

(If a Fire attribute monster is selected as the target of a card that destroys a monster or about to be destroyed in battle, halve all battle damage. No monsters can be destroyed this turn)

"Did you fail math?" Jorgan jeered. "Halving battle damage will still deal you 1000 damage, which is enough to finish you off!"

"Next," Gareth said, ignoring him, "I chain the Quick Spell Burst into Flames! This decreases your monster's ATK by 800!"

(When your opponent's monster attacks or is attacked by your Fire attribute monster, decrease that monster's ATK by 800. If its ATK is greater than that of your monster, you can negate all battle damage this turn and draw 1 card)

The ATK boosted warrior charged at Eater of Flames, only to be set afire and stopped by a burning wall of flames. (400/1100)

"You're only delaying the inevitable," Jorgan smiled. "No matter how long you stall, you'll run out of resources long before me."

"Like I said," Gareth grinned, "That was your last turn. On my Draw Phase, I use Eater of Fire's effect on Houka Lizard to negate the damage from Evil Accountant!"

Once more, the lizard's attack, reflect, and absorb effect was observed. (Houka Lizard: Level 4/ATK-1100)

"Now," Gareth smirked, "I summon the Tuner monster Fry Cook of Fire!"

Gareth's fry cook descended onto the field along with its grill, waving its spatula in anticipation.

(Fry Cook of Fire: Level 4/FIRE/Warrior/ATK-1400 DEF-1000/Effect-Once per turn, you can tribute one monster you control to Special Summon 2 Fire Burger Tokens (Pyro type/ Fire/level 1/ATK 0/DEF 0))

"No matter how many Synchro monsters you summon," Jorgan boasted, "You can't get past my impregnable defense! My contracts have no loopholes!"

"That's the mentality that makes you a good businessman," Gareth said, "but not a good duelist! My blazing flame of justice will burn all evil in its path!"

At that moment, Eric's heart began racing as a familiar rush flowed through him. He knew exactly what was coming.

"I'm tuning level 4 Fry Cook of Fire with the now level 4 Houka Lizard," Gareth announced. "A burning flame of the soul smolders brightly! Kindle the fire of blazing salvation! Synchro Summon! Reduce to ashes, Crimson Blaze Dragon!"

The two monsters burst into flames and condensed into two fireballs, which twirled momentarily in the air before slamming into each other to create a massive explosion of scorching infernos, with cinders flying messily in every direction. What stood in the aftermath of this fiery chaos was Gareth's most powerful monster, the tremendous crimson dragon with menacing black thorns. When untainted by black flames, Eric could see that there was a certain majesty and beauty to the sheer strength that this monster exuded.

(Crimson Blaze Dragon: Level 8/FIRE/Dragon/ATK-2800 DEF-1600/Effect-When this monster is Synchro Summoned, deal 500 points of damage to your opponent. Each time this monster attacks, discard one card from your opponent's hand. If they don't have cards in their hand, destroy 1 card on the field instead or deal 500 points of damage to your opponent)

"S-synchro Tax activates!" Jorgan stuttered as he gazed in frightful awe at the revered Nature Dragon of Fire. "You take 1000 damage!"

"I activate Eater of Fire's effect on Crimson Blaze Dragon to negate damage!" Gareth countered.

The mighty red dragon's flames began to be absorbed, only to be interrupted and eaten by Gareth's life-saving monster. (Crimson Blaze Dragon: Level 7/ATK-2300)

"Now it's your turn to pay!" Gareth shouted. "When Crimson Blaze Dragon is Synchro Summoned, you take 500 points of damage!"

Jorgan whimpered as Crimson Blaze Dragon shot a massive fireball at him, exploding with great turbulence. (400/600)

"I activate my Trap card Out of Business!" Jorgan screamed. "I destroy Crimson Blaze Dragon and gain Life Points equal to its ATK!"

(Destroy one monster on the field and gain Life Points equal to half of its ATK points)

"By now you still don't know," Gareth smirked, "that you can't stop the flames of justice! I activate my Trap card Crimson Blaze! As long as Crimson Blaze Dragon is on my field, my monsters are unaffected by all monster, Spell, and Trap card effects!"

"What?" Jorgan exclaimed with a crackling squeal.

The gargantuan red dragon raised its head and howled viciously, creating a massive heat wave that set Jorgan's entire field ablaze, rending all of his cards powerless before its blistering might.

(Activate only if "Crimson Blaze Dragon" is on your side of the field. All of your monsters are unaffected by monster, Spell, and Trap effects until the end of the turn)

"Crimson Blaze Dragon," Gareth declared, "attack Evil Accountant! When it attacks, you discard 1 card from your hand. Since you don't have one, I can destroy a card on the field instead, such as your Life Force Shield!"

"I activate my Trap card Currency Transfer!" shrieked Jorgan in desperation. "I tribute Maximum Attack Warrior to have Evil Accountant's ATK become 2500!"

(Tribute one monster you control to have another one of your monsters gain the same number of ATK points as the tributed monster had when it left the field)

"How many times must I say it?" Gareth smirked. "Nothing you do can stop my flames! I activate my Trap card Extreme Combustion! All of monsters gain 1000 ATK!"

"Impossible!" Jorgan exclaimed. "How could you predict everything I had prepared?"

"A shrewd businessman like you is nothing but predictable," Gareth grinned. "Everyone knows that when you're about to go bankrupt, you want to liquidize as many of your assets as possible. Your own greed cost you this duel! Scorching Flame of Destruction!"

The goblin accountant sucked the life energy from Maximum Attack Warrior, filling its briefcase with stacks of bills to use as a shield. However, Crimson Blaze Dragon unleashed another powerful gust of fire, incinerating all of the goblin's money and destroying its last remaining line of defense. In one forceful stroke, the mighty red dragon released a massive fireball that struck the goblin and exploded so violently that Jorgan lost his footing and fell due to the shock. (400/0)

(All of your Fire attribute monsters gain 1000 ATK. At the End Phase, their ATK become 1000 less than the original ATK. During your next End Phase, they regain their original ATK)

Without a moment's rest, Gareth walked over towards Jorgan, tore the bill of sale to shreds, and snatched Moonstar Dragon from his pocket. Their teeth chattering nervously, Jorgan and his guards retreated to their car in an unsightly scramble and drove off without a word.

"Looks like history is repeating itself, Eric," Gareth said as he returned Moonstar Dragon.  
"Thanks," Eric said, embracing his beloved card. "I'll make this up to you one day."  
"Does that mean you're gonna be joining my company?" grinned Gareth.  
"Not a chance," Eric smirked back.  
"I thought so," Gareth said with a disappointed but accepting sigh.  
Leaving things at that, Gareth drove off into the horizon with a feeling of immense satisfaction. Eric watched him disappear, thinking that he was glad they had met. In just these last couple days of hectic chaos, he had discovered someone who was different from him, whose views he didn't entirely agree with, but who had earned his respect and admiration.

"It must be nice," Gaige said whimsically, "having such nice friends."

"Friends, huh?" Eric said to himself.

It was true that he had acknowledged Gareth as his first friend in kindergarten, but after they had been separated for so long and after seeing what he had become, Eric wasn't sure. Yet, he felt that something had changed recently. He wasn't sure if Gareth had truly abandoned his dark motivations or if he was simply lying, but in the duel he had just observed, he felt something different, a warm sensation that reminded him of when they had first met. He wasn't quite ready to trust Gareth's words, but at least for now, he could trust his feelings.

"Yeah," Eric smiled. "Friends."


	7. Chapter 7

Yu-Gi-Oh! D.T.

Chapter 7: Ascending Moon, The Dark Road Paved by Light

November 26, 3050 6:53 AM

The man in the dark cloak hid in the shadows of an abandoned building, observing a duel between the plant duelist Hailey Rose and the insect duelist Torri Reynolds, both notorious duelists in the underground gambling world. It initially appeared as though Rose was in the lead, but no sooner had she set up her field than a Trap card activated by Reynolds destroyed it. Then, on his turn, Reynolds managed to summon a high-leveled monster and used it to attack her directly, depleting her remaining Life Points. Rose slumped to the ground, clearly shocked that she had lost so miserably. But it wasn't the loss itself that had broken her. It was the fact that this duel was an ante-duel, in which the loser had to forfeit their rarest card to the victor.

In this dark age where poverty was abundant, underground dueling was a quick way to make a living. For underground duelists who were short on money, rare cards were commonly used as wagers because they had equal, if not more value. The stronger a duelist's deck was, the more likely they would win and the more money they would earn. Such was Hailey Rose's reasoning as she dueled Reynolds. However, the man in black had guessed from the way she dueled that she hadn't earned the cards she played with; most likely, she had stolen them. Having lost the duel, Rose reluctantly handed Reynolds her rarest card, Black Rose Dragon, the legendary Signer Dragon the man in black had come to retrieve. As Rose fled with tears on her face, he revealed himself and challenged Reynolds to a duel, wagering the Stardust Dragon he had just obtained. Tempted by the man's offer, the insect duelist accepted immediately, making the same mistake as he opponent he had just defeated: he thought the Black Rose Dragon he'd just won made his deck invincible. The man in black smiled diabolically, knowing that this duelist had no chance of winning.

November 26, 3050 8:49 AM

Eric marked an X over the current date on the calendar hanging in his apartment room's wall. To both his glee and dismay, this date happened to be Eric's birthday, his twenty-first. He used this day every year as an excuse to indulge in whatever he desired, from large meals to new clothes. Eric had good reason to do so, for a birthday was typically a joyful event where the birth of an individual was celebrated by friends and family, but in Eric's case, he had neither. This was the source of a terrible grief that hung over him every year on this day. No matter how materially happy he was, there was no substitute for the love of those he cared most about. It was perhaps this grief that had spurned his hatred towards the material wealth of the rich, who seemed to be so satisfied with just flaunting their expensive belongings.

But on this day, Eric faced the risk of becoming a hypocrite, for on this particular day, he was ecstatic over the thought of finally obtaining something essential for achieving his long-time dream. Since he graduated from Duel Academy four years ago, he had worked odd jobs here and there to make a living, spending only what was needed on living costs and saving the rest for this very day. After his last paycheck, he had counted up his savings and found that he had finally amassed enough cash to purchase a decent duel runner.

Wearing a prideful grin on his face, Eric stepped out of his apartment and walked two blocks to Gaige's store, where he planned on celebrating his accomplishment with a nice, cold drink. However, when he made it to the refrigerated section of the store, what he saw surprised him.

"Three credits!" Eric exclaimed out loud.

"Something the matter?" Gaige grunted as he approached.

"This iced tea is a whole credit more expensive than it was yesterday!" Eric shouted. "What's the deal?"

"The deal," Gaige frowned, "is inflation. The price of Dynasium went up again, so I've gotta up the prices if I want to actually make a profit."

"But still," Eric said, "three credits?"

"We all gotta eat," Gaige shrugged.

"At least charge me the usual price," Eric pleaded. "It's my birthday you know?"

"Your birthday huh?" Gaige groaned. "I haven't celebrated my birthday in 10 years!"

"Think of it this way," Eric smirked. "If you pay it forward, good things will happen to you later."

"I know the saying," Gaige sighed, "but I also know that investing in you won't get me anything in return."

"Now don't say that," Eric laughed. "I might remember who I bought my iced tea from when I become a pro duelist one day."

"Pro duelist my butt," Gaige sneered. "You couldn't even beat that nasty businessman the other day."

"S-shut up!" Eric stuttered. "I just made a little mistake."

"Yeah yeah," Gaige said. "But since today is your birthday and you did try to help me out the other time, I guess I have no problem charging the usual price."

"Wow," Eric snickered, "the usual price? Don't tell me you're getting soft, old man?"

"Don't misunderstand," Gaige scoffed. "It's to comfort you when your dream to become a pro duelist fails."

"My dream's not going to fail," Eric smiled. "Because today, I'm gonna get my own duel runner."

"Duel runner!" Gaige exclaimed. "How did you get the money for that?"

"I've been saving up," Eric grinned proudly.

"Heh," Gaige snorted, "so you kids still know how to save nowadays."

"Yeah," Eric said as he twisted his face. "Don't underestimate us kids, old man."

"I overestimated you," Gaige jeered. "If I had that kind of money, I'd do something more practical with it."

"Like what?" Eric asked suspiciously.

"I'd buy some stocks," he replied. "And make a profit."

"I knew you'd say something boring like that," Eric sighed as he sipped his tea.

"Cheeky brat," Gaige snorted. "If I knew you had that much money, I would've charged you double for that."

"Too little too late!" Eric laughed as he dashed out the door to the bus stop across the street.

November 26, 3050 10:02 AM

On the bus ride to Muto City, the metropolitan area closest to Truesdale Town, Eric reflected on how true it was that duel runners cost a lot of money. Duel runners themselves were already expensive due to the large amount of material required to build them, but were made even more so by the fact that Momentum energy was no longer used to operate them. He was taught in history classes that the Momentum Reactor had provided unlimited energy to cities via the mechanism of Perpetual Motion, spinning endlessly to meet their exorbitant needs. However, as society's energy expenditures gradually increased, the Momentum Reactor showed signs of instability. With the knowledge that the astronomical amounts of energy contained in the reactor could destroy continents if released, every world power unanimously agreed to shut the reactor down.

However, this solution led to even more problems. After the Momentum Reactor was disestablished, the world witnessed a massive slump during which economic depression caused a sharp decline in industrial output and an exponential increase in business foreclosure. For the next several years, people attempted to find a new energy source that matched Momentum but mostly resorted to other, less-efficient sources such as fossil fuels and electricity.

Power plants that had closed centuries ago re-opened as cities were once again introduced to power stations and electrical poles. Houses and buildings were physically hooked up to the power grid and had generators installed. Cars and other vehicles that used to rely solely on Momentum energy to run began to use diesel fuel. Unfortunately, despite society's best efforts, none of these measures kept up with the lifestyles that people were used to and civil unrest grew to massive proportions. Crime rates increased in conjunction with worldwide protests, as entire governments were ousted due to their inability to pacify or repress their people. The only nations that were able to maintain peace were those that either had a compliant population or exercised military force. All at once, the world had descended into a dark age.

Then, a miracle happened. Over twenty years ago, a new metal alloy was discovered on the Pacific Coast. This alloy, termed Dynasium by its discoverer, had unearthly properties: a high specific heat, high malleability, high ductility, low density, and the uncanny ability to conduct electricity without corroding. These properties were great for creating cheap, long-lasting batteries, but were not what revolutionized society. It wasn't until someone had created a duel disk powered by a Dynasium battery that the world discovered another unusual property: the ability to store and recharge ample amounts of electrons from duel energy.

Even today, no one completely understood what duel energy was. Some theorized that it was the spirit of the cards, while others suggested that it was the soul of the duelist, but no one knew for sure. In fact, no one cared. All they cared about was the fact that that they had discovered a revolutionary new resource that had the potential to provide a nearly infinite supply of energy. After learning of the alloy's composition, a new industry arose focusing on refining and selling Dynasium, which had officially became the world's most prominent energy source. Because duel energy was the source of Dynasium's power, Duel Monsters became the center of industry, economics, and politics. To live in a world where everything was operated by duel energy, all one had to do was play Duel Monsters. The stronger a duelist was, the more influence they had and the more they thrived within this society.

This cultural revolution allowed countries around the world to prosper for several years, until the economy stagnated and declined once more. For unknown reasons, the Dynasium that had recharged from duel energy became less potent and people found that Duel Monsters was no longer sufficient to keep up with the amount of energy they were expending. This created a huge demand for Dynasium batteries to hold more energy, a demand that was met by an increase in supply. Dynasium companies began to abuse Duel Monsters cards, absorbing their duel energy and discarding them afterwards to collect more energy to store in Dynasium batteries. Of course, this resulted in a price increase, and as the demand increased, the price followed, creating a rate of inflation that ultimately caused an economic recession.

Thus was the state of the world in which Eric lived. Yet, despite these unfavorable circumstances, Eric insisted on making it to the top, and his plan started with purchasing a duel runner and slowly climbing his way to the pro league. At this moment, however, his first step was a bus ride to Muto City, a bus ride on which Eric shook with excitement over the thought of traveling the road towards progress, towards his future.

November 26, 3050 10:19 AM

And when he stepped off the bus, his future looked brighter than ever. Having lived in the ghetto of Truesdale Town for years, Eric was mesmerized by the towering corporate buildings, the flashing lights, and the bustling streets filled with all sorts of different vehicles zooming by. He had always dreamed of living in such a city and the fact that he now stood in the center of one took his breath away.

When he had fully taken in the feeling of city life, Eric took a deep breath and proceeded with completing his original task: to purchase a duel runner. In the world he lived in, Duel Monsters was so big that one could find card stores anywhere, even in ghetto cities like Truesdale Town. Duel disks were more expensive, so there were probably only two or three stores that sold them where Eric lived. Duel runners, on the other hand, were so expensive that they were rarely seen in the ghettos and could only be purchased in wealthy areas like Muto City. And what a wealthy city it was. Every other block, Eric noticed shops that sold the rarest cards and the latest releases, along with fancy embroidered duel disks of all shapes and sizes. Just the sight of these luxuries made Eric think about how happy he would be to live here.

After walking several blocks, Eric finally located a duel runner store. The exhilaration he felt from being so close to something he had waited so long for was like that of a child at a toy store. Blood rushed through his veins as he nurtured the thought of dashing in and witnessing first-hand the treasures he could only dream of previously. But ultimately, he decided against it, fearing that such behavior would be too uncivilized in this fancy locale. Taking a deep breath, Eric pushed open the glass door and opened his eyes to behold the most marvelous sight he'd ever seen. All around him stood duel runners of even greater variety than the duel disks, lined up to form rainbows of colorful beauty.

He was in paradise.

Yet, something felt off. He felt like there was something wrong with him being who he was standing where he was, and he realized the problem once he met the hostile eyes around the store, all aimed at him. Eric's shoulders sulked as he felt a sense of shame run down his spine. The other customers were all well-groomed and clothed in expensive-looking attire, while he stood there in a simple white T-shirt and faded jeans. He was like a sheep inside a den of wolves. It was then that he remembered another reason why he disliked the rich: because for whatever reason, they disliked him.

"Sir," a uniformed worker said as she approached him, "do you happen to be lost?"

Eric heard snickers throughout the store.

"No," he said, his face burning from anger and embarrassment, "I'm here to buy a duel runner."

"Oh yes," Eric saw her roll her eyes, "which model are you interested in?"

"I've got 5000 credits on me," Eric said. "What can I get with that?"

"Let's see," the worker said as she looked at the catalogue, trying unsuccessfully to mask her condescending smile. "I suppose these are within your price range."

She turned to the last page of the booklet which showed all the cheapest duel runners, half of which had been used. Eric shook with embarrassment at having to buy the lowest quality duel runners for the lowest prices. None of them appealed to him, not even the used ones. They were all shoddy-looking pieces of junk that reeked of poverty. Ugly frames with old peeling paint, engines that barely reached a torque of 50 rpm. He winced at the thought of having to drive something so embarrassing around. He then considered saving up more money until he could purchase a higher quality one. However, he soon remembered what he saw that morning in Gaige's store and realized that the prices would likely inflate faster than his savings. He felt like the situation was hopeless, like he had no choice but to buy one of the most revolting duel runners he'd ever seen. Eric's hands shook with frustration.

Then, something happened.

"Did you tell him about our economic models?" said a male voice.

Eric turned around to find a young man with a gelled-up head of black hair wearing a blue blazer. His face appeared young and innocent despite his rough, chiseled body.

"I-I forgot," the female worker laughed awkwardly.

"Scumbag," the man muttered under his breath, making Eric aware that she had purposely shown him the worst models.

Flashing a smile, the man signaled for Eric to follow him, walking to a section of the store that showcased several spiffy-looking duel runners, ones that appeared to be different from the others. There was something unique about the material.

"These are our economic model duel runners," the man said with a smile. "If you're low on cash, these are a good investment to make because they perform just as well as some of our higher quality duel runners but cost a whole lot less."

"Why?" Eric asked. "What makes them different?"

"They're made from a steel alloy," the man replied. "Nowadays, duel runners are typically made from lighter but more expensive materials like carbon fiber to lower the energy consumption of Dynasium batteries. Steel is much heavier so it consumes more energy, and it's also susceptible to corrosion, but it's tough and affordable, which makes it the ideal material for duel runners."

"I see," Eric said, nodding his head.

Eyeing the duel runners in front of him, Eric noticed one that caught his attention. It was an ultramarine colored vehicle with yellow trim for decoration, painted over a thin frame. The handlebars were located on two horizontal limbs that extended from the back of the duel runner, which was mounted by a crescent-shaped wing.

It was perfect.

"I'll take this one," Eric said, pointing at the model.

"Great," the man smiled, handing him a stack of papers. "Just sign these and it's yours."

November 26, 3050 11:27 AM

After about half an hour, Eric was finally able to call this duel runner his. He gently placed his hands on the frame, caressing its cool, smooth surface with his fingertips. He sucked in the air and exhaled deeply, taking in the fact that he had finally obtained a duel runner and taken the first step towards his dream. As he laid eyes on it, he still couldn't believe how exemplary his very first duel runner was. He loved the way its sleek design matched his body size perfectly, while its blue paint glistened from the bright rays of sun. He got goosebumps just imagining how beautiful it would look at night under the pale moonlight. He pinched himself to make sure it wasn't a dream and began forming tears in his eyes when he realized that he, Eric Lambert, was now in possession of the most perfect duel runner he could've ever asked for.

"You're an interesting guy," the man said with a pleasant grin. "I remember my first duel runner. Boy were those great times."

"I can't tell you how much I appreciate this," Eric said, wiping the tears from his eyes.

"Don't sweat it," the man smiled. "Does it make you happy?"

"Yeah," Eric said, his shoulders heaving as he sniffled.

"Then that's all I need to hear," the man said. "Happiness is the best thing you can ask for in life."

Upon hearing those words, the amount of respect that Eric had for this man became immeasurable. This man, this selfless man who had no reason to offer his time and energy for a random stranger, had pulled him from depths of his despair while expecting nothing in compensation, acting only on the goodness of his heart. Had he not known any better, Eric would have regarded this man as an angel.

"Thank you," Eric said with the biggest smile he had ever made.

Bowing respectfully, Eric exited the store, wheeling out his brand new duel runner. With everything that had happened over the past few weeks, this day alone restored his faith in the good of humanity. He looked to the sky, wondering if he had truly been blessed by an angel from Heaven, if God had heard his prayer and finally rewarded all his hard work.

That was when he met the devil.

"How do you like it?" said Gareth, leaning against his own crimson duel runner outside the store.

"How'd you know I'd be here?" Eric asked.

"Well," Gareth explained, "I knew today was your birthday so I planned on bringing you a present, but when I came down here, it turned out you already came and bought it yourself."

"And how exactly was this your present?" Eric asked.

"Look," Gareth smiled, pointing at the store's sign.

Eric widened his eyes as he beheld the name "D.T. Vehicles" above the front door.

"Your company made this?" Eric exclaimed. "How could someone with your bad tastes design something so nice?"

"Ouch," Gareth winced, cringing at Eric's remark. "It's true that it was me who designed it, but it was you who inspired it."

"Me?" Eric asked in disbelief. "You designed a new duel runner just for me? Why?"

"Because you're my first and best friend," Gareth said. "It's only natural for friends to do nice things for one another."

"Well," Eric mumbled, "even if you say that, I wouldn't accept your charity. I want to live with my own power without relying on others to help me, even if we're friends."

"But you gave me something more precious than a duel runner," Gareth said. "You taught me what it means to be a true duelist and to live with courage and dignity. That's something I can never pay back no matter how much money I have."

Eric took a minute to gaze into Gareth's eyes, which seemed to burn with a fiery passion. He could tell that Gareth wasn't lying. His words sounded genuine, his feelings were sincere.

"I see," Eric replied. "If that's how you feel, then it would be rude of me to reject your resolve. I'll cherish this duel runner."

"Good," Gareth smiled, "because it took me several all-nighters to make it."

Both of them suddenly burst into giddy laughter as Eric punched Gareth's arm for his last remark. For the first time since they met, it felt as though they were the same friends they were in preschool, joking and laughing together without a care in the world. Whoever the satanic demon he had met weeks ago was, the person standing before him now was not him; it was the friend he had known and loved. Now, Eric felt truly blessed.

Minutes after their laughter had subsided, Gareth tilted his head like he was thinking about something.

"What is it?" Eric asked.

"Have you registered your duel runner yet?" Gareth inquired.

"What does that mean?" asked a puzzled Eric.

"I'll take that as a no," Gareth said as he pressed a button on Eric's duel runner.

Suddenly, the rectangular screen on the front end of his vehicle lit up, playing a familiar jingle as it flashed the D.T. Corporation emblem: a red, upside-down triangle circumvented by a yellow circle. It then transitioned into a window that prompted for its owner's name.

"This is how you register your duel runner," Gareth explained. "It will ask you some questions about your identity and other private information. Once you complete the process, your current location and duel history will be recorded for the government to see."

"But isn't that bad?" Eric asked. "Didn't you say that the Dark Chasers have some influence in the government?"

"That's right," Gareth replied. "That's why I have a method for hiding that information. Once you complete the registration process, your information will be sent online to a government network. However, I can redirect that information to D.T. Corporation's servers instead."

"I don't want you to have that info either," Eric pouted.

"Would you rather have the alternative?" Gareth asked. "Don't worry. You can trust me. Even if my network is constantly receiving your info, you'll have access to other D.T. members' information as well, even mine."

"You're giving me special treatment, aren't you?" Eric frowned. "Even though I'm not one of your soldiers."

"To be honest," Gareth said, "you've been through worse than some of my employees. To that end, even if you're not an official member, you've earned the right to know these things. You can think of yourself as a retired veteran if it will make you feel better."

"Okay," Eric sighed, "I'll take your word for it. So how are you going to do it?"

"I'm going to inject a virus into the program," Gareth said as he plugged something into a port on the duel runner. "This will change the program's command to send your info to my company's computer mainframe instead of the government's."

With that, Eric continued to fill out his information, providing his name, address, government ID, driving license number, and education. Gareth then proceeded to teach him how to attach his duel disk to the duel runner and where to place his deck.

"Most duel runners come with their own duel disks for specialized compartmentalization," Gareth explained. "Yours looks custom-made, so I'm guessing it's special to you?"

"It was my dad's," Eric said. "He left it behind the day he died."

"I'm sorry to hear," Gareth said, closing his eyes.

"It's okay," Eric said. "Please, continue."

"There's a platform slightly below the screen where you can place your duel disk," Gareth explained. "It has a universal port that most duel disks are built with nowadays, which will allow you to sync with the duel runner. Does yours have a port?"

"Yeah," Eric replied, "my dad used to have a duel runner but I don't know what happened to it."

"I see," Gareth nodded. "Just connect the port to the cable and it should work."

Eric did as he was told and his duel disk flashed, indicating that it had properly synced with the duel runner.

"Good," Gareth said. "Now, you place your deck in this slot above your left handle. You can detach and reattach it as you please. After you place your deck inside, pressing this button will automatically shuffle your deck. As it does so, it also scans your cards' ID numbers for things like searching effects."

Eric inserted his deck and pressed the button above the slot, impressed by the technology that had enabled such specialized actions as shuffling and identifying cards. As he leaned in to observe this, his duel runner suddenly made a sharp screeching noise, causing him to jump back in surprise.

"What's that?" Eric exclaimed.

"That sound means that your deck is illegal," Gareth said. "Did you modify your deck for turbo duels?"

"Nope," Eric sighed. "I don't have any Speed Spells. I blew all my cash on this duel runner, so I don't have enough for them."

"Good," Gareth smiled, "then you can stop by D.T. Corporation and I can give you some."

"Like I said," Eric frowned, "I don't want your charity. I want to work for things myself."

"You still insist on rejecting my help," Gareth exhaled. "Okay, how's this? I'm not giving you these Speed Spells. You're a volunteer who's helping me playtest some new Speed Spells I'm developing."

"Is that so?" Eric sighed. "You have an answer for everything, don't you?"

"There's another reason I want you to come," Gareth said. "I have an indoor duel runner track where I can teach you how to operate your vehicle."

"What's your excuse for giving me special treatment now?" Eric asked.

"It's not exactly special treatment," Gareth said. "My company offers free training for novices, so you might as well take advantage of it. Plus, it's especially important for you to get trained by me because I can teach you how to deal with the Dark Chasers who will be coming after you from now on."

"Oh yeah," Eric groaned. "That might be helpful."

"Good," Gareth smiled satisfactorily. "Since you were able to buy a duel runner, I assume you already have a license and know the basic maneuvers?"

"Yeah," Eric nodded. "I took driver's ed at Duel Academy and I got my license from using a practice duel runner. But it's been a while and I might be a little rusty."

"I guess I'll explain quickly then," Gareth said. "This button is used to start your engine. The handles are used to control your direction and acceleration. Pull back on the throttle to accelerate. When you want to decelerate or stop, pull the front brakes on your handlebars and push the rear brakes on your footrest. You can shift gears manually by using your touch screen or by using voice commands. You turn by shifting the weight of your body and pulling the handles."

"Got it," Eric said, testing everything Gareth explained.

It wasn't until he obtained his own duel runner that he began to noticed subtle differences between various models. Unlike his, which had a small front fairing, side horizontal handlebars, and a wing on the rear, Gareth's crimson duel runner had a large fairing, a pair of overarching handlebars, and a small rear. Whereas his tires were thin and slender, Gareth's were thick and laced with jagged treads. Prior to today, Eric had no idea that so many variations existed among simply vehicles. Noticing Eric's confusion, Gareth smiled and began to explain.

"My duel runner has a larger fairing because it provides a greater impact," he said. "The treads on my tires increase traction at the cost of maneuverability and speed, but my engine makes up for it with more horsepower."

"And those handlebars?" Eric asked.

"They serve that same function as your wing," Gareth explained. "By arching downwards from a higher position, they reduce drag by altering the airflow from my bulky fairing."

"What about mine?" Eric questioned. "What's different about mine?"

"Yours is an economic model," Gareth said. "To reduce the material cost but still maintain performance, the front is smaller and the handlebars are positioned on the side to take up less space. To compensate for the weaker engine, the frame is lighter and more aerodynamic, making the vehicle easier to steer and maneuver."

"But it's not as durable?" asked a concerned Eric.

"Well," Gareth sighed, "it's not really fair to compare with mine in terms of durability because not everyone needs to fight violent Dark Chasers on a regular basis, but the steel composition of your duel runner should give you enough protection from a crash."

"Right," Eric shrugged, trying not to imagine such a scenario.

"Any more questions?" Gareth asked.

"Nope," Eric answered. "I'm good."

"Alright," Gareth grinned, "let's drive."

With that, the pair zoomed down the streets of Muto City, racing towards the tall skyscraper that served as D.T. Corporation's headquarters.

November 26, 3050 4:56 PM

Four hours later at dusk, Eric left the D.T. headquarters with a sense of accomplishment. He had learned how to ride and duel using a duel runner with what Gareth had described to be exceptional proficiency. Wanting to test his new knowledge immediately, Eric decided to drive back home to Truesdale Town, which was 60 kilometers away from his current location. As he maneuvered through the local streets, he gazed at his reflection on glass windows, admiring the luminescent shine that his duel runner maintained even in the darkness. He felt his movements becoming more controlled and more precise, as though he was slowly becoming one with his duel runner. However, it wasn't until he entered the city-connecting highways that he truly felt alive. Pulling back on his handlebars, Eric accelerated into the DR (Duel Runner) Lane, loving the rush of cool wind that blew past him. The numb feeling on his face created the sensation of advancing through a coursing river, riding against the tide with the promise that good things would come when he made it to the other side.

On his right, Eric saw a pair of duel runners fly by in the TD (Turbo Duel) Lane, the monsters flying above them indicating that they were engaged in a turbo duel and their velocity indicating that they already had already accumulated a great number of Speed Counters. Eric watched with great interest as one duelist, a thin mohawked man in a green and black duel runner, declared an attack and destroyed his opponent's monster. Smoke jetted out from the opponent's purple duel runner as both returned to normal speed, signaling that the duel was over and that the mohawk man had won. Eric smiled as he caught up to them, excited by the first turbo duel he had witnessed first-hand. But almost mockingly, Eric's happiness was turned sour by what happened next. No sooner had he discovered the joys of turbo duels than he saw the darker side, as the mohawk man kicked his opponent off his duel runner and caused him to crash against the highway wall. Utterly shocked and pissed off at what had transpired before his eyes, Eric hit the rear brakes on his duel runner and swerved into the TD Lane, yanking on his front brakes to come to a full stop.

"What the hell are you doing?" Eric exclaimed.

"Giving this guy what he deserves," the mohawk man laughed.

Horridly, the mohawk man pulled his opponent's deck from his duel runner and tore his cards apart, inciting the man's absolute despair as he broke down in tears.

"You son of a bitch!" Eric yelled. "Why did you do that?"

"All his cards were trash," the mohawk man laughed. "Trash cards don't deserve to exist."

The amount of hatred Eric had for this man was massive. He clenched his fists, his whole body shaking from unrelenting anger. He was about ready to punch the guy, but then remembered what he said to Gareth about being a duelist: that violence was never okay and that dueling was the only way to settle things. Eric took a deep breath to calm himself and proceeded to confront the mohawk man the right way.

"You have no right to call yourself a duelist," Eric growled.

"And who are you to tell me that?" the mohawk man snarled, clearly agitated.

"A real duelist," Eric replied. "Unlike you."

"Bullshit," the mohawk man spat. "A real duelist has the best cards and always wins. The losers forfeit their right to be called duelists. That's why I tear my opponent's cards up."

"You're wrong," Eric glared. "Someone like you who doesn't respect the bond between a duelist and their deck can't call themselves a real duelist. You're just a bullying wannabe."

"Wanna bet?" the mohawk man said, mounting his duel runner.

"You're on," Eric said. "I'll show you the power of a real duelist."

Both linked to each other's duel runners and initiated a turbo, confirmed by the flashing of their duel disks. On his screen, Eric viewed the duel record of his opponent, his eyes widening when he saw that his opponent had a 90% win rate in over a hundred duels. Even among pros, it was difficult to maintain a win rate above 70%, yet this man had accumulated a nearly perfect record. As he looked further into this man's information, he found something even more surprising. In the top right-hand corner of the screen, the man's single-word name was displayed in bold black letters: Conundrum. Instantly, Eric recognized this as a distasteful codename that was so characteristic of the infamous Dark Chasers. His eyes glared at his opponent as he finally understood why he was so cruel. Now knowing that he was dueling against a Dark Chaser, Eric tensed his entire body, completely uncertain of what dangers were in store for him.

"This is your first turbo duel?" Conundrum laughed as he read Eric's info. "How can you say I'm not a real duelist when you haven't even dueled once?"

Furrowing his brows and trying to ignore those words, Eric raised his head to see a holographic counter appearing with ten dots, slowly decreasing in number. He steadied his grip on his handles, determined to cross the finish line and take the first turn. As soon as the counter reached the tenth dot, a screeching alarm sounded, indicating that the duel had begun.

"Turbo Duel!" both said at the same time as they pulled back on their throttles, charging down the road on which their battle would commence. "Acceleration!"


	8. Chapter 8

Yu-Gi-Oh! D.T.

Chapter 8: Overwhelming Darkness, Rise of the Crescent Moon

November 26, 3050 5:34 PM

The man in the black cloak sat quietly on his black duel runner, observing a blonde, muscular-looking duelist. He had been stalking the man for several hours, waiting for him to engage in a duel so that he could confirm his suspicions. The man in black raised an eyebrow as the blonde duelist parked his duel runner in front of a small warehouse and walked inside. Counting for five minutes, the man in black dismounted his duel runner and walked towards the house, peeking inside the window to observe what was happening. He smiled at what he saw. As his source had predicted, the blonde duelist was the owner of the Signer Dragon Red Dragon Archfiend, as made apparent by the large holographic monster that stood levitating inside the room. Apparently, he was dueling someone, probably someone he knew since he had access to the warehouse. Shifting his eyes towards the blonde duelist's opponent, the man in black was shocked to see yet another Signer Dragon, Black-Winged Dragon, standing opposite its red-colored foe. His smile grew even wider as he realized that he was presented with the perfect opportunity to kill two birds with one stone. Not even allowing them to finish their duel, the man in black kicked down the door and challenged both to a two vs. one duel, stating the condition that the losing party would surrender their rarest cards. Of course, the two easily accepted after the man offered both of the Signer Dragons he had previously collected. Several minutes later, the man in black exited the warehouse holding four legendary cards in his hand.

November 26, 3050 5:47 PM

Both Eric and Conundrum pulled back on their throttles, causing their duel runners to travel forward down the TD Lane. Eric had always expected to be excited about his first turbo duel, but his opponent stripped him of whatever pleasure he might have had. His frustration was increased by the fact that Conundrum had handily beaten him to the holographic finish line that determined who would make the first move. It was then that he remembered this wasn't a regular duel. It was a turbo duel, bound by different rules in a different world.

(Both players gain 1 Speed Counter each Standby Phase. A player can activate the following effects during their Main Phase: remove 4 counters to deal 800 points of damage to your opponent for each Speed Spell in your hand, 7 counters to draw 1 card, remove 10 counters to destroy 1 card on the field)

"My turn!" Conundrum declared. (1/1) "I summon Dark Maze in defense mode!"

A black portal emerged, revealing a flat labyrinth made from stone the size of one square meter.

(Dark Maze: Level 4/DARK/Rock/ATK-0 DEF-2000/Effect: If your opponent declares an attack, they must name every card in your Graveyard. If they cannot, the attack is negated and this card gains 500 ATK)

"I set 2 cards. Turn end!"

"My turn!" Eric shouted. (2/2)

Although he disliked the fact that Conundrum had beaten him in the race for first turn, he admitted to himself that it was to be expected. Because his duel runner was made of metal, it was bound to be slower than a typical duel runner made of carbon fiber. Earlier, Gareth had taught him that giving up the first turn in a turbo duel was especially unfavorable because not only could the opponent set up their field sooner but also utilize their Speed Counters first. The only way to even the odds was to make aggressive plays.

"I summon Moonlight Boxer in attack mode!" Eric declared.

A shirtless boxer with light blue shorts and gloves descended onto the field from the sky, jogging casually beside Eric.

(Moonlight Boxer: Level 3/LIGHT/Warrior/ATK-1700 DEF-800/Effect-Once per duel, you can Special Summon a monster this card destroyed to your side of the field)

"Now," Eric said, "I activate the Speed Spell Holy Light! When I have 2 Spell Counters, I can Special Summon a Level 4 or lower Light monster from my hand. I summon the Tuner monster Midnight Moon!"

A shining halo materialized beside Eric, creating a thin veil of light that dissipated to reveal a celestial body shimmering weakly.

(If you have 2 or more Spell Counters, you can Special Summon a Level 4 or lower Light attribute monster from your hand. It is destroyed at the End Phase)

(Midnight Moon: Level 2/LIGHT/Psychic/ATK-0 DEF-0/Effect: When this card is summoned, you can Special Summon up to 2 Full Moon Tokens (Level 1/LIGHT/Psychic/ATK-0 DEF-0)

"When Midnight Moon is summoned," Eric explained, "two Full Moon Tokens are Special Summoned."

The small moon emitted two orbs of light which transformed into smaller moons.

"I'm tuning level 2 Midnight Moon with my two level 1 Full Moon Tokens and level 3 Moonlight Boxer," Eric said. "The shining moon guides all to greatness. Glisten brightly in your quest! Synchro Summon! Arise, Everbright Enchanter!"

Midnight Moon dematerialized into two golden rings while the other three monsters transformed into orbs of light, aligning horizontally between the rings. Suddenly, a thick beam of light burst through the rings, illuminating the night sky and revealing Eric's staff-wielding sorceress.

(Everbright Enchanter: Level 7/LIGHT/Spellcaster/ATK-2600 DEF-2000/Effect: When this card is Synchro Summoned, return all removed from play monsters back to their owner's Graveyard. This card gains 100 ATK for each monster in the Graveyard)

"Everbright Enchanter gains 100 ATK for each monster in the Graveyard," Eric explained. "I have 2 monsters in my Graveyard so my monster's ATK becomes 2800. Everbright Enchanter, attack Dark Maze! Shining Beam of Radiance!"

"Dark Maze's effect activates," Conundrum countered. "When you attack, you have to name every card in my Graveyard or else the attack is negated and my monster gains 500 ATK."

"But there are no cards in your Graveyard," said a puzzled Eric.

"Not yet," Conundrum grinned. "I activate my Trap card Unknown Tribute. I discard 2 cards from my hand face down."

(Send 2 cards from your hand to your Graveyard face down)

"Discarding cards face down!" Eric exclaimed. "I've never seen an effect like that before!"

"That's because Unknown Tribute is a super rare card," Conundrum boasted. "It's not surprising for an amateur like you to have never heard of it."

"Damn you," Eric cursed.

"Now," Conundrum chuckled, "you can't attack because you don't know those 2 cards in my Graveyard. But that's not all. My monster gains 500 ATK!"

As the robed sorcerer unleashed a wave of light from her crystal staff, the energy was absorbed by Dark Maze, which grew a little in size. (Dark Maze: 500 ATK)

"I set 1 card," Eric said through gritted teeth. "Turn end."

"My turn," said Conundrum with a crooked grin. (3/3) "I set 1 card. Turn end."

"My turn!" Eric shouted, annoyed by his opponent's passive play. (4/4)

Eric's eyes widened as he was caught off guard by the sudden acceleration of his duel runner. He tightened his grip on the handles as his machine blasted forward, the wind slamming against his face until his duel runner drove at a constant speed seconds later. It was then that he remembered what Gareth had told him about duel runners speeding up when their Speed Counters reached certain numbers. Just then, his Speed Counters reached four, a critical number, so his duel runner moved faster. Although Eric was taken by surprise, this aspect of turbo dueling had also reminded him that he could use Speed World 2's effect.

"If I can't attack," Eric grinned, "I can still deal damage. I activate Speed World 2's effect. I remove 4 counters to deal you 800 points of damage for each Speed Spell in my hand. I have 1 so you take 800!"

"I activate the Continuous Trap Dark Fog in the Maze," Conundrum chuckled. "As long as Dark Maze is on my field, its effect works for effect damage too."

"What?" Eric gasped.

He watched in agitation as a bolt of lightning was shot from his duel runner, only to be absorbed by the maze which grew to double its original size. Eric fell behind his opponent as his Speed Counters dropped back to zero. (0/4) (Dark Maze: 1000 ATK)

(If Dark Maze is on your side of the field, your opponent must name every card in your Graveyard to deal effect damage. If they did not, negate the damage and increase Dark Maze's ATK by 500)

_This is bad,_ Eric thought. _This guy knows the ins and outs of a turbo duel, while this is my first time playing one. And not just that, the psychological stress of falling behind him and dealing with the rough wind in my face is really disorienting. I can't think straight._

"What's wrong?" Conundrum taunted. "Is this how a 'real duelist' plays?"

"I summon the Tuner monster Vanishing Moon in defense mode," Eric growled, continuing his turn.

Another bright moon-like sphere appeared on the field, bobbing up and down beside its master.

(Vanishing Moon: Level 1/LIGHT/Psychic/ATK-1000 DEF-100/Effect: You can discard this card from your hand to have one of your opponent's monsters lose 1000 ATK and 1 level. If you do, Special Summon this card to your side of the field in attack position on your next Battle Phase)

_Even if I can't do anything right now,_ Eric thought, _I'll believe in the power of my cards. And right now, I need the one card I believe in most!_

"I'm tuning my level 1 Vanishing Moon with my level 7 Everbright Enchanter," Eric declared. "The shining moon guides all to greatness. Glisten brightly in your shining grace! Synchro Summon! Ignite, Moonstar Dragon!"

The enchanter condensed into a ball of dense energy while the moon inserted itself in between, forming an egg-like structure. Slowly but surely, the structure rotated at an increasing rate until it formed a shining sphere that released photons of light like fireworks. In one enormous burst, the light exploded brightly enough to blind both duelists. When they opened their eyes once more, what stood floating on Eric's field was a gigantic white dragon, sparkling beautifully with glitter and moondust.

(Moonstar Dragon: Level 8/LIGHT/Dragon/ATK-2600 DEF-3000/Effect: You can remove this card from play to Special Summon a monster from your Graveyard. It gains the ATK and DEF of this card. On your 2nd Standby Phase after you activate this effect, Special Summon this card)

"Moonstar Dragon!" Conundrum exclaimed. "You have a Nature Dragon!"

"This is my ace monster," Eric said boldly. "It's the symbol of my deck."

"If you have a Nature Dragon," Conundrum frowned, "I might have to try a little harder."

"You're going to have to try a lot harder than that if you want to take down my ace,"  
Eric boasted.

"Whatever," Conundrum scoffed. "You see it as your ace. I see it as a one-way road to promotion. Who knows? Maybe I'll be made a Dark Chaser general!"

"General?" Eric asked. "Isn't that the highest rank? How could someone like you become a general?"

"I'm not too far off," Conundrum chuckled. "I'm already a captain, the second highest rank. If I can strengthen my deck a little bit, I could probably beat my general and take his spot."

"If someone like you is a captain," Eric smiled, "then a general must not be that strong."

"Someone like me?" Conundrum smirked as he drew for his turn. (1/5) "I'll make you eat those words by showing you just how strong I am. I set 1 card and end my turn."

_Ending his turn just like that?_ Eric said to himself. _So much for making me eat my words. He's probably just trying to bait me into using up my resources while his monster keeps getting stronger. Oh well. I guess I'll build up my attack force while I wait for a card that can break his strategy._

"My turn," Eric said. (2/6) "I discard Moonlight Condenser to Special Summon Moonlight Viking from my hand!"

An orb of light blinked onto the field and disappeared as Eric's viking monster descended from the sky and consumed it.

(Moonlight Condenser: Level 1/LIGHT/Spellcaster/ATK-0 DEF-0/Effect: If you are about to take effect damage, you can remove this card from play from your Graveyard to negate the damage and destroy one monster on the field)

(Moonlight Viking: Level 5/LIGHT/Warrior/ATK-2200 DEF-300/Effect: You can discard 1 card from your hand to Special Summon this card from your hand. If you do, you cannot summon another monster this turn)

"You fell for it!" Conundrum cackled. "I activate the Continuous Trap Special Maze Mist! I discard 1 card face down to activate its effect. When you summon a monster, you have to name every card in my Graveyard or else your Special Summon is negated, your monster is destroyed, and Dark Maze gains 500 ATK!"

(Discard 1 card face down to your Graveyard. If Dark Maze is on your side of the field, your opponent must name every card in your Graveyard to Special Summon a monster. If they did not, the summoning is negated and the monster is destroyed. Dark Maze gains 500 ATK if this occurs)

Moonlight Viking was shrouded by a mass of smoke released by Dark Maze. However, as the smoke cleared, the axe-wielding warrior was nowhere to be seen. (Dark Maze: 1500 ATK)

"How do you like that?" Conundrum taunted, laughing like a hyena. "Now, I've sealed your attacks, effect damage, and even your Special Summons!"

"God damn it!" Eric shouted, slamming his fist on his duel runner.

"It's my turn!" shouted Conundrum eagerly. (3/7)

As his Speed Counters reached seven, his duel runner sped up, further increasing the gap between him and Eric.

"I summon Hidden Sacrifice General in attack mode!"

A masked man dressed in a green military uniform descended onto the field, running alongside its master.

(Hidden Sacrifice General: Level 1/DARK/Fiend/ATK-0 DEF-0/Effect: You can return this card to your hand to send 1 card from your deck to the Graveyard face down)

"I activate its effect," Conundrum stated. "I return it to my hand to send a card from my deck to the grave face down."

In less than a second, the general disappeared from the field while Conundrum inserted a card into his Graveyard.

_Sending more face-down cards to the grave?_ Eric thought. _What exactly are you planning?_

"Turn end," Conundrum declared.

"My turn," Eric said, bracing himself as his duel runner accelerated once more. (4/8) "I activate the Speed Spell Energy Collect. When I have 4 Speed Counters, I can draw 1 card and discard one from my hand."

(If you have 4 or more Speed Counters, you can draw 1 card and discard 1 card from your hand to your Graveyard)

Eric silently accomplished the task he explained.

"Next," he continued, "I activate my Trap card Moon's Ray of Giving. This lets me discard 1 card to draw a card for each card on your field. You have three cards so I can draw three times."

As he had just explained, Eric discarded a card and pulled three cards from the top of his deck.

(You can discard 1 card from your hand to draw 1 card for each card on your opponent's side of the field)

"I set 2 cards," Eric said. "By the effect of the Dense Moon I discarded earlier, I gain 300 Life Points on my End Phase."

Yellow glitter rained from the sky, showering Eric with warm light. (4300/4000)

(Dense Moon: Level 2/LIGHT/Psychic/ATK-100 DEF-200/Effect-If this card is in your Graveyard during your End Phase, you gain 300 Life Points)

"My turn," said Conundrum. (5/9) "If you're not going to do anything, then I will! I activate the Speed Spell Magnetic Pulse! I add one Speed Spell from my deck to my hand for every three Speed Counters I have. I have nine Speed Counters so I add three Speed Spells!"

Conundrum pressed the button above his deck holder, causing it to scan his deck for the cards he desired, eject them into his hand, and shuffle his deck.

(If you have at least 3 Speed Counters, you can add 1 Speed Spell from your deck to your hand for every three Speed Counters you have)

"I activate the effect of Speed World 2!" Conundrum yelled excitedly. "I remove 4 counters to deal you 2400 points of damage!"

"I activate my Trap card Damage Reverse!" Eric countered. "This reflects the damage back at you!"

(All effect damage you would take this turn is dealt to your opponent instead)

"I activate the effect of Dark Fog in the Maze!" Conundrum countered again. "The effect damage is negated and Dark Maze gains 500 ATK!"

Lightning raised from Conundrum's duel runner into the sky, arching backwards to strike Eric. However, a protective barrier surrounded him, redirecting the attack at Conundrum, who redirected the lightning once more towards Dark Maze. Conundrum's duel runner decelerated until he and Eric were side by side. (5/5) (Dark Maze: 2000 ATK)

"Turn end," Conundrum declared.

"I see," Eric smiled, "so that's your strategy. You plan on using your Dark Maze setup to stall while you collect Speed Spells to deal me damage via Speed World 2. And even if I manage to negate effect damage, your Dark Maze will eventually gain enough ATK to defeat my monsters."

"Not bad for a newbie," Conundrum chuckled. "But just because you know my strategy doesn't mean you can beat me!"

"We'll see," Eric grinned as he drew a card. (6/6) "I summon the Tuner monster Lunar Wing in defense mode. When Lunar Wing is summoned, I can draw a card!"

A shining portal appeared beside Eric, invoking a silver-winged bird, crouching inside a nest while keeping up with Eric's duel runner. Eric plucked the top card from his deck as per Lunar Wing's effect.

(Lunar Wing: Level 1/LIGHT/Winged-Beast/ATK-0 DEF-0/Effect-When this card is Normal Summoned, you can draw 1 card)

"I activate Speed World 2's effect," Eric declared. "I remove 4 counters to deal you 800 points of damage for this Speed Spell in my hand!"

"I have no idea why you still try," Conundrum laughed. "I activate Dark Fog in the Maze! The damage is negated and Dark Maze gains 500 ATK!"

Eric shot lightning from his duel runner at Conundrum, only to have it absorbed by an ever-growing Dark Maze, now the size of a church door. Eric's duel runner fell behind after losing his Speed Counters. (2/6)(Dark Maze: 2500 ATK)

"I set 1 card," Eric said. "Turn end. By Dense Moon's effect, I gain 300 Life Points."

Once more, sparkles descended from the sky, increasing Eric's Life Points. (4600/4000)

"My turn!" Conundrum declared, his duel runner zooming forward. (3/7) "I summon Hidden Sacrifice General!"

The masked general descended upon the field once more, jogging leisurely beside Conundrum.

"I activate its effect," Conundrum declared. "I return it to my hand to send a face-down card from my deck to my Graveyard!"

The general disappeared as quickly as it had appeared, returning to Conundrum's hand as he milled another card from his deck.

"Now," Conundrum smiled, "I activate the effect of Speed World 2! I remove 4 Speed Counters to deal you 2400 damage for these three Speed Spells in my hand!"

Eric had something he could protect himself with, but knowing the aggressive plays his opponent made, he concluded that he should save it for a more dire situation. Thinking that he had Life Points to spare, Eric did not resist. However, he soon regretted his decision. When the lightning arched backwards and struck him, Eric winced as his vision blurred and his duel runner spun out of control. He screamed as the light combined with the wind blasting in his face to completely disorient him, making his duel runner zigzag wildly. He felt like he could die at any moment.

However, in the midst of this chaos, Eric noticed something strange. Although he was struck hard, he felt no malice from his opponent's attack, only feelings of rage mixed with sadness. From the way he laughed when he tore the other duelist's cards, Eric had only thought of Conundrum as a sadistic bully, but in this duel, he saw something deeper within him. Once Eric regained his vision, he gripped the side handles firmly, stabilizing himself as Conundrum rejoined him at his pace. (3/3) (2200/4000)

"How's that?" Conundrum laughed. "Had enough?"

"Not yet," Eric said, huffing from his almost traumatic experience.

"You're no fun," Conundrum snickered. "I set 1 card. Turn end."

"My turn," Eric declared, his eyes widening as he glanced at the card he drew. (4/4) "I see. So this is what it means."

"What are you mumbling about?" Conundrum cackled. "Trying to stall your inevitable defeat? It's no use."

"We'll see about that," Eric retorted. "Moonstar Dragon, attack Dark Maze with Emanating Pulsar!"

"Go ahead and try," Conundrum smirked. "You can't scratch me."

The lustrous white dragon amassed a large number of photons at its mouth, collecting them to form a shining sphere of energy. Chucking its head forward, it unleashed a stream of dazzling light at Dark Maze, who only absorbed the energy and grew even larger in size. (Dark Maze: 3000 ATK)

"See?" Conundrum laughed. "You just wasted your turn again!"

"No," Eric said. "This will be your final turn. At my End Phase, Dense Moon will increase my Life Points by 300."

Sparkling light rained from the sky for the third time, replenishing Eric's Life Points. (2500/4000)

"You're right," Conundrum snickered as he drew a card (5/5), "For once, I agree with you. It will be my final turn because I will finish you off now! I activate the effect of Speed World 2! I remove 4 Speed Counters to deal you 2400 damage for these 3 Speed Spells in my hand!"

Once more, Eric braced himself as he took the full strike of Conundrum's lightning. Although he was still knocked off balance by the attack, he managed to stabilize his vehicle faster this time, having already received the attack once. Again, he could have used his set card to protect himself from this fatal blow which left him 100 Life Points from defeat. However, he chose not to. He had taken this attack to see once more what it was that he felt from Conundrum. As he recovered from the assault, Eric had confirmed his suspicions, realizing that it felt no different from the first one, still full of fury and sorrow. (5/1) (100/4000)

"What the hell are you smiling for?" Conundrum barked. "You're supposed to be crying! I'm beating the crap out of you!"

"Because I know you're not just some barbaric douchebag," Eric said.

"What the hell are you talking about?" Conundrum spat.

"I know that you hold a lot of anger inside of you," Eric said. "And for whatever happened to you, you're trying to make yourself feel better by making other people feel the same pain you felt."

"You don't know anything about me," Conundrum grunted in irritation.

"I don't know exactly what you went through," Eric remarked. "But I do know that you're not inherently evil. You ran into some bad people who turned you into a bad person by doing bad things to you. I know it was unfair for you to have to go through something like that, but what you're doing isn't the answer. It's because you saw the ugly side of life that being a good person is all the more important."

"Good?" Conundrum laughed. "There's no such thing as good or bad! There's only strong and weak! The strong will always stomp on the weak! That's why I always win! That's why I rip apart the weak, trash cards of the weak duelists I fight! And that's why I'm going to beat you! Because I'm strong and you're weak!"

A long moment of silence ensued after he said that, with no sound but the roaring of their engines. Eric drove quietly, gritting his teeth in frustration after having failed to convince Conundrum that he was wrong. He was angry that Conundrum didn't listen to him, but more than anything, he was sad that a human being could have such a cynical view on life. Whatever he experienced in the past must have affected him deeply. Eric tried to think of something to do or say to show Conundrum that he was wrong. After a minute, he took a deep breath and spoke.

"You're wrong," he said. "It's true that there are those who abuse their power, but that doesn't show that they're strong. It shows that they're weak, because they couldn't overcome the dread of whoever abused them. By doing what you did, you just proved that you're just like the people who bullied you. You're weak!"

"This is coming from the guy losing the duel with only 100 Life Points left!" Conundrum cackled spitefully, but Eric could tell there was no joy behind his laughter.

"The way you duel tells me everything," Eric said. "You hide behind your Dark Maze because you're afraid of the outside world. You're afraid of getting hurt again. You only deal me effect damage with your Speed Spells instead of using them because you're afraid of coming out of your shell. From your attacks, I could see the real you behind your tough-guy act. I could see the you that's angry, sad, and scared. And weak."

"Shut up!" Conundrum shouted. "I'll prove to you that I'm strong by ending this duel! I'm not scared! I'm not weak! Dark Maze, attack Moonstar Dragon and finish him!"

"Finally coming out of your shell huh?" Eric grinned. "But I was waiting for this moment! I activate my Trap card Moonlight Stream! When your monster attacks my Light attribute monster, the attacking monster is destroyed and removed from play!"

"What?" Conundrum exclaimed.

As the gargantuan maze attacked by unleashing a massive wave of dark fog, Moonstar Dragon fought back, releasing an even more powerful beam of moonlight that tore the darkness apart and struck the maze, incinerating it with gleaming light. Conundrum's jaw dropped as he witnessed the destruction of the monster that had protected him the entire duel. Realizing that he was completely defenseless, his body shivered violently, his thoughts filled with nothing but the dread of defeat.

(Activate only when a monster declares an attack on a LIGHT attribute monster. The attacking monster is destroyed and removed from play)

"How could this happen?" Conundrum moped, quivering in his seat.

"It's your own fault," Eric said. "When you came out of your shell and attacked, you made yourself vulnerable to a counterattack."

When Dark Maze disappeared, so too did Conundrum's confidence. What remained of him was his true self damaged by years of unthinkable pain that caused him to fear and hate the world around him.

"Then it's true," Conundrum cried. "I can't trust anybody! If I don't protect myself, someone will always try to take advantage of me!"

"That's probably true," Eric admitted. "It's true that opening yourself will make you vulnerable and weak, but it's that same weakness that can make you strong. You can't shut yourself in because you're scared of the world. You have to face your fear head on. Once you do that, you'll become a stronger person."

"I don't believe you!" Conundrum shrieked. "What the hell do you know?"

"I know what it's like," Eric said, "to feel so small and helpless as you're hurt and bullied by people for no reason. But that's why you can't become a bully yourself. You have to fight for what's right, what you truly believe in. You have to be strong."

Both were quiet again, with neither of them saying another word. Eric had hoped this silence meant that he was reflecting on his actions and realizing that what he did was wrong.

But that was not the case.

"Strong?" Conundrum suddenly said with a twisted grin. "I am strong! The Dark Chasers have made me strong! They promised me that I would never have to take anyone's shit again, that I would never lose to anybody! I'm strong! I'm strong! I'm strong!"

"Conundr-!" Eric shouted.

"Shut up!" he yelled. "I activate my Trap card Unseen Massacre! I deal you 1000 damage for each face-down card in my Graveyard! I have four so you take 4000 damage!"

(Inflict 1000 points of damage to your opponent for each face-down card in your Graveyard)

At this moment, Eric was filled with absolute horror. This card was Conundrum's ace card, something he had been setting up for since the beginning of the game. Dealing damage for each face down card he sent to the Graveyard. This effect itself was a statement of Conundrum's internal anguish, his irreparable scars of loathing that he yearned to inflict on everyone and everything that opposed him. This card was a symbol of the darkness in his heart, so great in magnitude that it manifested itself in such a grotesque and terrifying form.

"Don't tell me," Eric gasped, "deep inside, you really have nothing but hate for this world?"

"That's right!" Conundrum laughed hysterically. "I hate this world and its people! I just want to kill everyone in my way! To prove that I am the strongest! Because I am the strongest!"

"Idiot!" Eric screamed. "I activate my Trap card Double Spy! I negate all damage this turn!"

A hideous mass of black sludge burst from Conundrum's card, aiming to completely drown his opponent. However, a speedy ninja emerged from thin air and slashed the wave of sludge in half, causing it to miss Eric as he drove straight through the center.

(Negate all damage received this turn. You can Special Summon a Level 3 monster from your hand)

"My turn!" Eric declared, eager to put an end to this terrible duel. (6/2)

He glanced at Conundrum, almost heartbroken to see him laughing and panting maniacally with no sense of reason.

"I won," Conundrum mumbled to himself while staring blankly into space. "I'm strong."

_Is there nothing I can do?_ Eric asked himself. _Is there no way to show him the error of his ways? To end his suffering? Is his heart so damaged and so drenched in sadness that no one's voice can reach him? _

Eric looked to Conundrum one last time for any possibility of salvation, any sign that there was hope for him, but to his dismay, none was apparent. He closed his eyes in frustration, angry at himself for not being able to do anything to save this miserable human being.

_Maybe he's right,_ Eric lamented to himself. _Maybe I am weak._

But he knew this wasn't the time for self-pity. Right now, the best thing he could do was end Conundrum's misery as soon as possible. Settling his thoughts, Eric took a deep breath and resolved to see this duel through to the end, no matter how bitter.

"I activate the Speed Spell Maximum Boost!" Eric declared. "When you have more Life Points than me, I can double my Speed Counters!"

Pulling back as hard as he could on the throttle, Eric lifted his duel runner to stand only on its back wheel and propelled himself forward, blasting down the highway with the maximum speed his duel runner could allow. (12/2)

(When your opponent has more Life Points than you do, you can double the number of Speed Counters you have)

"I activate the Speed Spell Radiant Eclipse!" Eric declared. "When my Speed Counters are at twelve, I can double Moonstar Dragon's ATK and make it immune to all monster, Spell, and Trap card effects!"

(When you have 12 Speed Counters, double the ATK of 1 Light attribute monster you control. Until the End Phase of this turn, it is unaffected by all other monster, Spell, and Trap card effects)

Howling majestically in the air, Moonstar Dragon took flight, leaving a trail of glittering moondust. At its highest altitude, the holy white dragon spread its wings to its maximum wingspan and began absorbing all sources of light around it, glowing more and more luminously with each passing second. At its greatest brightness, it exceeded even the real moon in radiance.

"Moonstar Dragon," Eric shouted, "direct attack! Emanating Pulsar!"

Gathering all of its energy in one central sphere, Moonstar Dragon unleashed a powerful, dense beam of light that had the combined brightness of everything its absorbed, striking Conundrum's duel runner with such intensity that he completely lost control, swerving back and forth without the consciousness to stop himself. Eventually, Conundrum fell off and slammed heavily against the concrete, his duel runner crashing against the highway walls and emitting voluminous clouds of smoke. (100/0)

As the duel concluded, Eric's duel runner slowed down, allowing him to reverse directions and check up on Conundrum. Arriving at the scene of the crash, Eric gasped as he saw a prostrate body lying next to the remains of a duel runner damaged beyond repair. Upon closer inspection, Eric sighed of relief when he observed that Conundrum had escaped possible death by falling off his duel runner right before it crashed, receiving only minor scratches and bruises. As Eric moved his unconscious body so he could breath, he noticed a soft expression on Conundrum's face, a face which had always been full of either sorrowful anger or spiteful satisfaction. Now, it seemed peaceful, like he was free from whatever ghosts had haunted him.

At least, that was what he thought at first, before he saw something that would burn a terrible image in his mind forever. Under the pale moonlight, tears streamed down Conundrum's face, so dense and heavy that they didn't even glisten in the light. No words could explain the amount of sympathy and pity Eric felt for this poor man. Unable to stand the sight of someone crying tears of pain and sadness even in their sleep, Eric turned his head and backed away from Conundrum's unconscious body. Slowly and silently, Eric remounted his duel runner.

Though Eric won the duel, he had failed to change Conundrum's hateful view of the world, which made him wonder just how bad of a life he must have lived to contain this much anger. He still couldn't forgive Conundrum for everything he'd done, but even more unforgivable was the Dark Chasers themselves. They had manipulated this poor individual's suffering for their own selfish benefit. Conundrum was indeed a powerful duelist, one of the strongest he'd ever faced, but his strength did not derive from determination or resolve; it came from feelings so negative that his cards reflected his fear and hatred.

After this painful experience, Eric couldn't help but wonder just how many people like Conundrum were being used by the Dark Chasers, and how much darkness shrouded this evil organization. He didn't want to think about it. He felt that if he wandered too far into the abyss, he himself could walk down the dark path of no return. Despite the fact that Eric refused to work at D.T. Corporation, he felt as if he was already deeply involved in the battle against the Dark Chasers, a frightening battle that could tear him apart if he wasn't careful. Sighing deeply, Eric drove home with a severely disturbed state of mind.

November 26, 3050 6:31 PM

Gareth sat in his office examining the data from the duel via his desktop. One reason he had altered Eric's duel runner to send information to D.T. Corporation's network was so that he could view everywhere he was going and every opponent he faced to collect more data on the Dark Chasers. He knew that Eric was a capable duelist, so he entrusted him with his secrets despite the fact that he wasn't an official D.T. employee. However, no matter how strong a duelist Eric was, Gareth knew that it was wrong to leave him in the dark about his fate. After Eric revealed Moonstar Dragon in this duel, many more Dark Chasers would be coming after him. From now on, Eric would be fighting a long, harsh battle against the Dark Chasers, which made Gareth feel guilty for having brought him into this mess.

But as he turned around on his swivel chair and looked down upon the city, his resolve hardened. Gareth knew that Eric would play a key role in this conflict, but his future remained unclear. The brighter a source of light was, the darker the shadows that surrounded it. And indeed, the shadows were dark. From his extensive database which contained a great deal of government information, Gareth looked up the opponent Eric had just dueled. His name was Jacob Redwood, a victim of human trafficking and forced prostitution, an ideal specimen for recruitment into the Dark Chasers, who preyed on the dark insecurities of men's hearts and perverted them for their own base ends. In his future encounters, Eric would inevitably find conflict with those who have abandoned all hope and adopted extreme ideologies which contradicted his optimistic beliefs.

Amidst this darkness which shrouded the future, would Eric's light be extinguished, or would it become the beacon of hope that the world needed more than ever?

As Gareth left his office, his mind was occupied with this question alone.


	9. Chapter 9

Yu-Gi-Oh! D.T.

Chapter 9: Howling Flame, Scorching the Roots of Uncertainty

December 4, 3050 11:43 PM

The man in the black cloak walked to his duel runner holding a card in his hand, smiling as he stepped over the duelist he had defeated to obtain it. With the Ancient Fairy Dragon he had just won, the man had completed his collection of the six Signer Dragons, the last of which was already in the possession of another Dark Chaser general. As soon as he mounted his duel runner, he typed a message to his boss, who immediately replied with a carefree note of congratulations as well as an order to return to headquarters. Annoyed by the jolly attitude his boss always exhibited, the man snorted and pulled the throttle, speeding into the road.

Even though the man was a general, the highest rank within the entire Dark Chaser organization, he knew nothing of their leader aside from the fact that he had a jovial personality which contradicted the authority of his position. Despite the blitheness of his behavior, the Dark Chaser leader was a secretive individual who rarely met anyone in person. Yet, it was this same individual who had formed the single most powerful underground organization in the world, a feat which required nothing less than exceptional intelligence and influence. The first and only time the man in black had met the leader five years ago, he was completely and utterly shocked by how off his expectations were. The man he had met was tall and thin with a sharp nose, a long face, and a crooked smile. His eyes were hidden by the shadow that fell from the top hat he wore, but gave the impression of piercing sharpness. Indeed, there was nothing impressive about his frail physique or his outdated fashion sense, but his charisma could not be doubted. The playfulness of his words were not proof of weakness or naivety, but of absolute confidence in his identity as the most powerful man who ever walked the earth. This was the puppeteer behind the Dark Chaser organization, who pulled the strings of over a million dolls to control the word, and who seemed to find the most wicked pleasure in doing so. It was these qualities that had made the man in black respect, admire, and most of all, fear, this individual.

December 5, 3050 1:04 AM

In a dark room inside the D.T. headquarters building, a woman with long, brunette hair dressed in a black stealth suit dashed in a straight line, skillfully evading the security cameras and dodging the infrared lasers. Without breaking a sweat, she jumped past the movement detectors and weight sensors set up in the highly guarded room. When she finally reached the locked door on the other side of the room, she came to an abrupt stop, recognizing the type of lock it was protected by. It was an expensive mechanism that required a DNA sample of the owner as well as their fingerprints, nothing less than what she expected from one of the world's wealthiest companies. Glancing around the room, the thief grimaced as she noticed the alarms that would sound if a failed attempt was made.

Frustrated but unworried by the situation, she attached a metal device on the door and inserted her thumb into it, wincing in pain as a needle was injected. However, the result was worth the pain, as seconds later, the door opened without a problem. Wiping her blood with a napkin as a forensic countermeasure, the woman walked in slowly, keeping an eye out for any further security. Smiling greedily, she located the item she was looking for: a briefcase containing a legendary card, the Nature Dragon of Earth.

Certain that there was no further danger, the woman grabbed the case and strolled past the door, making sure to close it before maneuvering her way out of the dark room the same way she had entered. In her mind, she had successfully accomplished her mission. However, what happened next was unexpected. Right as she opened the door, she found herself standing an inch away from a young man in a red blazer, who seemed to be equally surprised by her presence. Reacting instantly, the woman threw her knee forward, aiming mercilessly at the man's groin.

Against any other opponent, she would have succeeded in incapacitating him, but unfortunately, she had the misfortune of encountering Gareth Basilius. With even greater dexterity, Gareth swung his hip sideways and intercepted her attack with a kick of his own. He then rotated his body and swept the only leg holding her upright, causing her to fall with a grunt. But she was far from finished. The expert that she was, the woman jumped back to her feet and instantly followed up with a back flip, placing her a good two meters from her opponent. Gareth's eyes widened as he recognized this special maneuver.

With a new understanding of his opponent's skill level, Gareth took a boxing stance and prepared for her next attack. However, he had underestimated her. The woman was no amateur when it came to combat, but her true field of expertise was stealth. Without missing a beat, she threw down a gas pellet which released what Gareth had discovered too late to be tear gas. Coughing vigorously, Gareth stumbled a good three meters out of the gas's range and stood alert for any sign of movement. However, when the gas cleared, there was no one in sight. Looking around the room, he gritted his teeth as noticed a hole in the roof.

_Damn_, he cursed mentally.

Sighing at the fact that he had been outsmarted, Gareth pressed a button on the wall to activate an alarm, alerting everyone in the building that there had been a security breach. Gareth began to search for her himself until he noticed the contraption she had used to break through his security. Deciding that it would be easier to find her by learning her identity, Gareth took the device to his laboratory to scan for evidence.

When he couldn't find any fingerprints, he looked to the device's design to try to identify the manufacturer. To his surprise, it was an expertly made machine that performed a variety of functions, including alteration of blood composition to match the specific DNA necessary to unlock the door. Gareth had no knowledge of anyone in the government or the black market who could produce such advanced and intricate technology. Whoever made this device was a genius.

Luckily, however, he also had a gifted team of scientists and engineers in his company, a team that could reverse engineer the blood sample she had left behind.

After bringing the device to the main research lab, Gareth returned to his office to look up a list of suspects.

Although a city-wide investigation would be helpful, Gareth didn't report this incident to the police. Due to his prior experience working with them and his knowledge that the Dark Chasers had influence everywhere, he believed that they were incompetent and corrupt. If the Dark Chasers were in control of the police, an investigation would inevitably be reported as a dead end. At that point, Gareth realized that the woman herself might have been a Dark Chaser. If the Dark Chasers were after rare cards, then it wouldn't be a surprise if they had sent someone to steal from him.

Normally, Gareth wouldn't bat an eye if one of his cards was missing, but this was no ordinary card. What she had stolen was one of his most valuable cards: Terra Force Dragon. It was a very important card that he was told by his father in his dying will to protect at all costs, along with his own Nature Dragon. Determined to have the card back in his possession, Gareth began his investigation into the records of the most notorious criminal thieves, hoping to find a clue as to who this thief was and what she was after.

December 7, 3050 2:28 PM

Eric drove his duel runner down the streets of Truesdale Town, trying to get the thought of the Dark Chasers off his mind. Even more than a week after his experience with Conundrum, Eric couldn't forget the pained expression on the mohawk man's face, darkened by the traumatic experiences in his past and twisted by the seduction of the Dark Chasers. Worst of all, he remembered the dismal tears that streamed down his face even when unconscious, prompting Eric to wonder just what terrible nightmares Conundrum might have had every night in his sleep. Conundrum was a product of a tragic past and the Dark Chasers' misguidance, the very image of a man drowned in the deepest shadows.

Despite the fact that it was a thing of the past, this experience made Eric undergo the complex task of philosophizing the nature of evil. Did evil exist in everyone? Was a small push all a human being needed to fall from grace? Or did everyone have a choice? Despite all that's happened to him, Eric always believed that he had persevered with his own will and resisted the urge to use his pain as an excuse to do evil, that it was his own decision to treat people with respect. But now, he was afraid of himself and his potential to become tainted by the darkness he was being exposed to.

The only thing that calmed him was his duel runner. When he zipped down the street with the wind blowing through him, he felt like he was in a different world, free from conflict, free from stress. The wind was cool as it kissed his face, numbing his senses as well as his emotions. The firm grip he had on the throttle made him feel like his fate was clutched in his hands, and he never wanted to let go. He looked to the horizon as he accelerated, wanting to believe that his destination was whatever he desired it to be, that he was traveling a road paved by his hands alone, and that he would never stop moving forward.

And then, as though fate had read his mind, a dark green duel runner with pink trim pulled up in front of him, prompting him to hit the brakes. Eric raised his head to see a woman with brunette hair, glaring at him with venomous eyes of rage.

"I'll give you three seconds to answer my question," the brunette atop the duel runner said firmly. "Are you Eric Lambert?"

"Yeah," Eric replied with a glare of his own. "Who are you?"

"Is your father Robert Lambert?" she asked, ignoring his question.

"I'm not answering until you tell me who you are," Eric said.

Without the slightest bit of reservation, the brunette flung a throwing knife at Eric with such speed that he couldn't react. Luckily, or so had Eric thought, it only grazed his cheek.

"I won't ask again," she said with cold eyes.

"M-my father is Robert Lambert," he stammered, certain that she would not miss the next time. "Now tell me who you are."

"Where is he?" the brunette asked, ignoring him again. "Take me to him!"

"Why?" Eric asked.

Once more, she threw a knife straight at him. This time, however, Eric knew what she would do and ducked while predicting the trajectory of the knife. Unfortunately, she had thought one step further, aiming her knife with such accuracy that it grazed the exact same cut on his cheek at the position his head was in after he had ducked. The pain was so great that Eric howled in agony, his eyes becoming watery with tears.

"Where is he?" the brunette yelled furiously.

"He's dead!" Eric shouted back, angry at what she had done to him. "What the hell do you want?"

"My mother is Genesis Celeste," the woman growled with fury. "Your father killed her!"

These words had a profound effect on Eric, whose face instantly became drained of blood and whose eyes widened as his lower lip quivered in shock. Eric had always believed that his father was a great man who believed in the potential of others, who inspired people to have faith in themselves in their darkest times. He looked up to his father as the bright moon that shone in the twilight. How could someone so kind and gentle possibly kill another human being? Upon hearing this woman's terrible accusation, Eric was lost in utter confusion.

"N-no way," he muttered. "You're lying!"

"It's no lie," the woman replied coldly. "My mother could've only been killed by someone she trusted and she knew your father. That could only mean Robert Lambert was my mother's murderer!"

"No!" Eric shouted. "I've never heard of a Genesis Celeste! My father couldn't have known her! There has to be some kind of mistake!"

"I don't make mistakes," she said, dismounting her duel runner. "You're going to atone for your father's sins."

Eric sat frozen on his duel runner, paralyzed not by the fear of this sadistic woman who stood before him, but of the possibility that his father had in fact killed someone. Even when she was less than a meter away from him, brandishing a sharp serrated knife in her hand, Eric did not make a single reaction. He was completely and utterly dumbfounded.

Luckily, however, something stopped her from proceeding any further.

Just as she was about to strike, she was interrupted by the loud roaring of a duel runner engine, approaching them at a swift rate. Both turned to see Gareth pulling up between them on his crimson duel runner. As he observed the weapon in her hand, Gareth immediately understood the situation.

"You don't want to do that," he warned her.

"Shut up," she growled. "No one's going to stop me from avenging my mother. Not even you."

"And then what?" he asked. "After you kill Eric, how are you going to atone for your own sins?"

"I've been prepared for death since I was eight," the woman said boldly. "I can die with no regrets if my parents' souls can rest in peace."

"I used to think the same thing," Gareth said, glaring at her with sharp eyes. "After my parents died, I was so bent on revenge that I scoured the globe, training my mind and body to find out who killed them and bring them to justice."

"Then you of all people should understand what I'm doing," she replied.

"Yes," Gareth said. "But that's also why I'm going to stop you."

"You're not making any sense!" the woman shouted.

"I was like you once," Gareth said. "I was so blinded by rage that I nearly went insane. My thoughts became irrational. My actions were uncontrolled. I became a monster. But then, a wise man told me something. He said that my parents wouldn't want to see me this way. He said that I shouldn't use their deaths as motivation for revenge, but rather-."

"But rather inspiration to make the world a better place," the thief finished for him.

All three remained silent after this exchange. Eric watched in amazement as Gareth and the brunette gazed in each other's eyes, communicating their feelings without words as though they had some kind of shared knowledge. Having also lost his parents at a young age, Eric could commiserate with their feelings of anger and grief, but could not understand their desires for revenge. He had always steered clear from that dark path, as he knew that it would only lead him further away from his father's light. But it was for this reason right now that he couldn't understand their feelings, the feelings of those who had already stared into the void.

"How did he die?" Gareth asked. "Your father. Master Celeste."

"He was killed by a local gang," the woman said, closing her eyes upon remembering painful memories. "I was the only survivor."

"Gareth," Eric spoke softly, "you've met her before?"

"Yeah," Gareth replied. "Her name is Olivia Celeste. Her father, Jason Celeste, taught me martial arts in Foshan during my youth. He was the man who stopped my destructive path towards revenge and inspired me to fight for justice instead."

"But that didn't stop my mom from dying," she said, her voice shaking. "Even after she was killed, he didn't try to avenge her. He ran away and tried to live a normal life, but he still ended up dying! Justice? There's no justice in this world unless you rid it of scum! That's why I won't believe in his naive idealism. That's why I'm going to do what he should've done! I'm going to find my parents' killers and take my revenge!"

"Your mother was Genesis Celeste, right?" Gareth asked, trying to change the topic. "She was the top researcher at D.T. Corporation twenty years ago. That's why you were able to break through my security. Because you were using your mother's technology. What I don't understand is why you wanted that card in particular."

"It's fate," replied the woman whose name was now revealed to be Olivia. "This card was calling out to me in my sleep, telling me to come for it. It was fate's way of telling me to complete my revenge. I will use this card finish what I started!"

This woman had stolen Gareth's rare card and physically abused Eric. She blamed her mother's death on Eric's father because of the single fact that they had known each other. Even more mental was her belief that fate had told her to steal Gareth's card and pursue her revenge. Everything she had said and done pointed to the conclusion that she was deranged and irrational. Yet, Eric couldn't help but believe her. There was something earnest about her eyes, something that screamed of conviction and determination. He sensed that the card she had stolen, Terra Force Dragon, was incredibly powerful. It was a card that could only be wielded by someone with the mental fortitude to control its savage power. This woman, Eric felt, had the strength to use it.

"Personally, I don't agree with your revenge," Eric said. "But as a duelist, I do believe that you have a strong connection to this card."

"Though that may be," Gareth frowned, "I can't let you keep that card. It's an important card that I was told to protect at all costs."

"You'll have to take it over my dead body," threatened Olivia.

"No," both Eric and Gareth said at the same time.

Both turned to each other and grinned, surprised and relieved to know that they shared the same thoughts. It was at moments like this that Eric and Gareth affirmed that they were indeed friends. When they first met, they had a rough start and disagreed with one another's personal philosophies. Even now, Eric and Gareth still disagreed on several matters, but they had one thought in common: a philosophy that connected them as duelists, companions, and human beings.

"We're going to duel for it," Gareth said with a smile.

"I accept," Olivia replied, also smiling. "This card is my trump card, the instrument of my revenge. I'll show you that you can't stop me from achieving my destiny!"

"I'll prove you wrong," Gareth countered. "In this duel, I will show you the truth."

December 7, 3050 3:00 PM

As the two duelists sat with their duel runners parallel beside one another, a holographic counter appeared, the number of tokens disappearing slowly. Both Gareth and Olivia steadied their grips on their handles, anticipating the start of their battle. When the last token vanished, an alarm sounded, announcing the beginning of the duel.

"Turbo duel!" both shouted at once. "Acceleration!"

Gareth and Olivia pulled back their throttles simultaneously, blasting forward at incredible speeds. However, despite the fact that Gareth's duel runner was the most high-tech model his company had to offer, Olivia managed to pull ahead and cross the finish line first, winning the right to make the first move.

(Both players gain 1 Speed Counter each Standby Phase. A player can activate the following effects during their Main Phase: remove 4 counters to deal 800 points of damage to your opponent for each Speed Spell in your hand, remove 7 counters to draw 1 card, remove 10 counters to destroy 1 card on the field)

"Be careful," Eric warned, keeping up with them on his own vehicle as a spectator, "She's strong."

"We can't say for sure," Gareth frowned. "She only won because of her mother's technology."

"No," Eric said with a serious expression, "there's something about her, something different."

Gareth glanced at Eric with a hint of skepticism. He knew that Eric was a skilled duelist who had a particularly strong understanding of the relationship between duelists and their cards, but sometimes, he didn't know where this knowledge came from or whether to believe it. He was reluctant to believe that Eric could sense things even he couldn't. Yet, just as Gareth began to the legitimacy of Eric's words, he was reminded of how Eric's mysterious sense of intuition had broken through his shell in their duel and shown him his true self. Suddenly, he felt guilty for doubting Eric. To Gareth, Eric was an important friend who proved to him the power of faith in one's deck. In order for him to have done that, he must possess an uncanny duelist instinct, an understanding of Duel Monsters far more profound than he could ever imagine. Though Gareth trusted science more than instinct, for better or for worse, he decided that he would give Eric the benefit of the doubt.

"I suppose we'll find out," Gareth grinned as he returned his focus to the duel.

"My turn," Olivia announced, gracefully drawing a card from her deck. (1/1) "I summon Fragrant Daffodil in attack mode!"

A seed fell from the sky, sprouting and growing to form a yellow, six-petalled flower with a cartoon-like face.

(Fragrant Daffodil: Level 2/EARTH/Plant/ATK 300 DEF 200/Effect-When this card is Normal Summoned in attack position, you can draw 1 card from your Deck. If that card is a Spell card, you can activate it ignoring its activation conditions)

"When Fragrant Daffodil is summoned," Olivia explained, "I can draw 1 card. If it happens to be a Spell, I can play it while ignoring its activation conditions."

"Ignoring activation conditions, huh?" Gareth said to himself, furrowing his brow as she drew.

"Fate really is on my side," Olivia grinned. "I drew the Speed Spell Overgrowth, so I can play it ignoring its 8 Speed Counter activation condition. Through its effect, I can Special Summon 2 Plant type monsters from my hand. I summon Fragrant Tulip and Fragrant Gladiolus in attack mode!"

Another two seeds descended from above, blooming rapidly to reveal two more flower monsters. The first was a pink tulip with its petals open, twirling around midair like a ballerina. The other was also a pink flower, but its characteristics were far less delicate. Among its five sharp petals, two branched off to reveal a pair of arms, each holding a petal as a sword. Yet, like Olivia's other monsters, this monster had a elegant, feminine quality to it.

(When you have 8 or more Speed Counters, Special Summon 2 Plant-type monsters from your hand or Graveyard)

(Fragrant Tulip: Level 3/EARTH/Plant/ATK 0 DEF 0/Effect-Once per turn, when this card is in attack position, you can inflict 600 points of damage to your opponent. During your End Phase, this card is changed to defense position)

(Fragrant Gladiolus: Level 4/EARTH/Plant/ATK 1800 DEF 1200/Effect-While you control this face-up card, your opponent cannot attack other Plant-type monsters)

"You're not done yet, are you?" Gareth asked, aware of her cards' abilities.

"Not nearly," Olivia grinned. "I activate Fragrant Tulip's effect, dealing you 600 damage!"

From the yellow anthers of the tulip floated a mass of pollen, gliding gracefully in the wind. Suddenly, without warning, the tulip spun with a flawless pirouette, striking the pollen fragments and launching them at Gareth, who grunted as the impact obscured his vision with clouds of smoke. (3400/4000)

"I set 1 card," Olivia said, gently inserting it into her duel disk. "Turn end. During my End Phase, Fragrant Tulip will switch to defense mode."

Closing its petals to form the familiar conical shape of a tulip, Olivia's monster stopped spinning and remained completely still.

"She's pretty good," Eric commented. "On her first turn, she summoned three monsters: one to summon the others, one to deal you damage, and one to protect the other two. Not a single move was wasted."

"Not only does she have a strong monster setup," Gareth nodded, "but also set Traps to defend herself with. It's almost a perfect field."

"I'm flattered by your compliments," Olivia smirked, "but I'd appreciate it if you took your turn."

"My pleasure," Gareth grinned back as he drew a card. (2/2)

"How are you going to counter her move?" Eric asked out of curiosity. "Are you going to make an even stronger setup than her's?"

"No," Gareth replied, "that's never really been my style."

_Her field is indeed set up well,_ Gareth thought to himself, _but it's also really fragile. Each of her monsters are weak individually, so if I can attack with full force, I might be able to overwhelm her. _

"I Special Summon Rising Dragon from my hand!" Gareth said, forcefully laying the card on his duel disk.

As violently as always, Gareth's umber dragon burst from the ground, roaring loudly to announce its arrival.

(Rising Dragon: Level 5/EARTH/Dragon/ATK-2000 DEF-0/Effect-This card can be Special Summoned from your hand if you have no monsters on your side of the field. If you summon it this way, its ATK is cut in half)

"Then," Gareth smiled, "when I control a level 5 monster, I can Special Summon the Tuner monster Flame Soul from my hand."

A fire lit up spontaneously in the air, collecting into a ball and revealing a pair of mischievous black eyes.

(Flame Soul: Level 3/FIRE/Pyro/ATK-500 DEF-0/Effect-This card can be Special Summoned from your hand if there is a Level 5 monster on the field)

"Right off the bat, huh?" Eric laughed. "How very like you."

"I'm tuning level 3 Flame Soul with level 5 Rising Dragon," Gareth declared. "A burning flame of the soul smolders brightly! Kindle the fire of blazing salvation! Synchro Summon! Reduce to ashes, Crimson Blaze Dragon!"

The orbital spirit of fire circled Rising Dragon, merging with it and engulfing it in raging flames. Howling vehemently, the umber dragon rose to the sky and unleashed an even greater mass of fire surrounding it. Slowly but surely, the dragon's silhouette began to grow, changing into a larger, more demonic form. At the peak of its growth, the dragon expanded its enormous wings, brushing away all the flames to reveal the majestic figure of the Fire Nature Dragon. The very sight of its gargantuan frame, crimson scales, and black thorns was enough to make Olivia shudder, shocked that he had managed to summon his strongest monster on his first turn.

(Crimson Blaze Dragon: Level 8/FIRE/Dragon/ATK-2800 DEF-1600/Effect-When this monster is Synchro Summoned, deal 500 points of damage to your opponent. Each time this monster attacks, discard one card from your opponent's hand. If they don't have cards in their hand, destroy 1 card on the field instead or deal 500 points of damage to your opponent)

"Crimson Blaze Dragon's effect activates," Gareth announced. "When it's summoned, you take 500 points of damage!"

Gareth's dragon pulled its head back and chucked it forward, launching a massive fireball at Olivia, who shrieked at being hit. (3400/3500)

"Okay," Olivia said through gritted teeth, "you managed to summon your Nature Dragon. What now?"

"My attack," Gareth said. "Crimson Blaze Dragon, attack Fragrant Gladiolus!"

"I didn't expect you to summon your ace so quickly," Olivia frowned, "but I'm not completely unprepared for it! I activate my Trap card Petal Wall! If I control 2 or more Plant monsters, my monsters can't be destroyed by battle this turn!"

"That's not good enough if you want to stop my burning flames," Gareth boasted. "Crimson Blaze Dragon's effect activates! When it attacks, I discard 1 card from your hand!"

"What?" Olivia exclaimed. "Such an overpowered card!"

"That's what I thought the first time I saw it," Eric nodded. "But it's perfect for someone like Gareth. It's just as intense and overbearing as he is."

"I'm not sure if that's a compliment or an insult," Gareth winced.

"If you're done mocking me with your idle chatter," Olivia said with a furious expression, "I'd like to get on with the duel."

"Right," Gareth agreed. "In addition to discarding a card, you also take battle damage from my attack. Scorching Flame of Destruction!"

Gareth's crimson dragon unleashed a torrent of wild flames at Olivia's monster, which was protected by a layer of colorful petals. However, this defense wasn't strong enough to hold back the scorching heat of its attack, as jets of fire escaped through and struck Olivia, who tightened her grip and gritted her teeth to endure Gareth's assault. When the attack was over, she reluctantly slid a card into her Graveyard. (3400/2500)

(When you control 2 or more Plant-type monsters, your monsters cannot be destroyed by battle until the End Phase of this turn)

"I set 3 cards," Gareth said. "Turn end."

"My turn!" Olivia declared. (3/3) "I switch Fragrant Tulip to attack mode and activate its effect. You take another 600 points of damage!"

The pink ballerina flower opened its petals once more to release pollen grains into the air, twirling fluidly to launch them as projectiles at Gareth, who grunted as they struck him. (2800/2500)

"I set 1 card," Olivia said, waving her hand in a light and elegant manner. "Turn end. At my End Phase, Fragrant Tulip will switch to defense mode."

"She's catching up," Gareth noted. "But I wonder why she's not changing Fragrant Gladiolus to defense mode. If it's the only monster I can attack anyway, it would spare her some Life Points."

"Don't you see?" Eric smiled. "She's strong. She's not hiding behind her monsters. She's fighting with everything she has alongside them. If her monsters will get hurt, then she's willing to share their pain. She's the most headstrong duelist I've ever met."

"I don't want to be praised by the son of my mother's killer," Olivia growled as she turned towards Eric, glaring at him with rageful eyes.

"I won't let you tarnish Eric's honor," Gareth said, angered after seeing Eric's suddenly downcast expression. "Eric thinks you're a strong duelist, but to me, all you are is an impulsive brat clinging to petty revenge. You're just a desperate child blaming your mother's death on Eric's father with no evidence other than the fact that they were acquaintances."

"Think what you want," Olivia barked, "you won't beat me!"

"Yes I will," Gareth said, his eyes fiery with determination. "My flames of justice will burn through your ignorant recklessness. My turn!"

As Gareth drew his card, both his and Olivia's Speed Counters reached four, causing their duel runners to accelerate and charge down the lane. (4/4)

"I activate my Speed Spell Churning Lava," Gareth said, slamming the card on his duel disk. "When I have 4 Speed Counters, Crimson Blaze Dragon gains 1000 ATK!"

Roaring thunderously, Gareth's dragon became coated in a layer of molten lava, which seeped into its scales to create a glowing network of orange throughout the dragon's body.

(When you have 4 or more Speed Counters, increase the ATK of 1 FIRE monster you control by 1000 until the End Phase of this turn)

"Crimson Blaze Dragon," Gareth commanded, "attack Fragrant Gladiolus! Its effect will discard a card from your hand!"

"I activate my Trap card Rose's Poison!" Olivia shouted worriedly. "When your monster attacks mine, I can equip it to your monster, halve its ATK, and prevent it from attacking!"

"After everything you've said and done," Gareth growled, "there's nothing that can save you from my flames! I activate my Trap card Crimson Blaze! Crimson Blaze Dragon is unaffected by all monster, Spell, and Trap card effects until the End Phase of this turn! Scorching Flame of Destruction!"

With a deafening roaring, Crimson Blaze Dragon unleashed a massive burst of vicious flames in each direction, setting fire to everything in their path. In one swift motion, the dragon launched a tremendous fireball at Olivia's monster, incinerating it with flames so powerful that not even ashes remained. Olivia sat with her eyes wide open and her lips quivering, completely paralyzed by the sight of her monster being obliterated in such a horrendous fashion. Even her hands shook as she inserted her last card into her Graveyard. (2800/500)

(When your opponent's monster attacks your Plant-type monster, equip this card to the attacking monster and halve its ATK. As long as this card is equipped, that monster cannot attack)

(Activate only if "Crimson Blaze Dragon" is on your side of the field. All of your monsters are unaffected by monster, spell, and trap effects until the end of the turn)

As Gareth sat panting from his angry outburst, Olivia made soft whimpers from the fear and shock of witnessing such extreme violence. Just minutes before, she had been so verbally abusive and so rash in her actions, but now, the strong woman they had seen before suddenly disappeared, replaced by a vulnerable girl crying frightful tears.

When making his last attack, Gareth had simply assumed that she was rude and immature; he wanted to give her a piece of his mind and punish her for her misdeeds. However, he never expected that she was so delicate on the inside. Her timid sobs made him regain his senses as feelings of regret fell heavily on his stomach.

"Gareth," Eric frowned, "I appreciate that you defended me, but you went too far. You let your anger control your actions again. Just look at how badly you hurt her."

"Sorry," Gareth muttered. "I guess I was a little carried away. It was wrong of me."

He stared at the Speed Spell in his hand, knowing that he could win right then and there, but that there would be no honor in inflicting even more damage to someone who had already lost the will to fight. If he were his old self, he would've been happy to see his opponent in such a wretched state. He wouldn't have hesitated to use Speed World 2's effect to end the duel with the most psychological damage possible. But now, he understood the error of his ways. Now, he could see in himself the villain he had sworn to vanquish.

"Turn end," Gareth said, bowing his head in shame.

All three drove in silence down the street, too scared to utter a single word. Olivia, who had been so confident and verbal before, sat shaken and afraid. Gareth's anger and determination had dissipated and replaced itself with shame and guilt. Eric, who was hurt by Olivia's accusations and saddened by Gareth's actions, was silent as well. The next few minutes were spent quietly driving down the lane. No one wanted to continue the duel.

Minutes later, however, they were all taken by surprise.

"I-I," Olivia stammered, "don't think you were wrong."

Eric and Gareth both turned to her, interested to know what she was going to say.

"I don't think what Gareth did was wrong," she said, recovering from her shock. "It's as you said. He's really passionate and really intense. That's why he was able to make such a powerful attack. That's why he was able to break through my defenses."

"It was just anger," Gareth frowned. "I let my anger get the best of me. I used it as an excuse to harm others and to satisfy my own revenge. I'm a hypocrite for criticizing you when I'm no better."

"Maybe," Olivia smiled, "but you woke me up. It's true that I'm reckless and impulsive. I acted on my emotions rather than my reason and ended up hurting innocent people. After seeing what you did, I think I can believe what you said about knowing what I've been through."

Eric watched in awe as tears streamed down her face. She had been shaken and scared to death by the ugliness of Gareth's anger, but she still had the courage to say all that. The toughness that she had exhibited was simply a manifestation of the resentment that dwelt within her, a facade to protect the delicate and fragile girl inside of her. In a way, what Gareth did was wrong. But at the same time, it was the best thing he could've done. His intense flames had burned through her tough act and revealed her true, gentle self. They had also shown her the grotesque face of wrath, a face she herself could have worn if she had gone down the same path. After witnessing her determination, Eric knew that he was right about her. In her duel with Gareth, Olivia had revealed her personality without even knowing it. Her adorable flower monsters and graceful movements showed her delicate side, while the persistence in her play showed her headstrong nature. Olivia's ignoring of her Speed Spell's activation conditions showed her impatience, while her defensive Traps showed her benevolence. Despite her rough exterior, her heart was soft as a flower.

"It's my turn," she said, drawing a card with lavish hand movements. (5/5) "You've shown me the strength of your feelings, so I think it's only fair to show you mine."

"Right," Gareth grinned. "Show me how the real you duels."

"I summon the Tuner monster Fragrant Allium," Olivia declared.

Rising from the ground came a long green stalk, growing steadily until it began to bloom into a round flowerhead, resembling a flowerhead of cool lavender.

(Fragrant Allium: Level 3/EARTH/Plant/ATK 400 DEF 200/Effect-When this card is used to Synchro Summon an EARTH Synchro monster, that monster gains ATK equal to 100x its level)

"I'm tuning level 3 Fragrant Allium with level 2 Fragrant Daffodil and level 3 Fragrant Tulip," Olivia announced. "Perennial petals dance along the resilient wind. Give bloom to the heiress of nature's grace! Synchro Summon! Rise forth, Terra Force Dragon!"

All three of Olivia's monsters dissipated into flower petals of various colors, swaying gently in the wind. Suddenly, they began to move faster, multiplying and swirling in a turbulent fashion to form a tornado of rainbow colors. The tornado churned more and more violently, collapsing in on itself at the center to form a dense core. Without warning, the tornado burst open, scattering the flower petals everywhere and revealing a sand-colored dragon with sharp, crested scales and a pale underbelly. Its most defining feature was a long, sharp strip that protruded from its head, laced with two columns of black spikes that ran down its slender neck. Releasing an echoing roar, the Nature Dragon of Earth dispelled the petals floating around it to announce its eminent arrival.

(Terra Force Dragon: 1 Tuner + 1 or more non-Tuners/Level 8/EARTH/Dragon/ATK 2500 DEF 2000/Effect-Once per turn, you can destroy all Spell and Trap cards on the field and increase your Life Points by 500 for each card destroyed. During your opponent's turn, you can tribute this card to negate all damage you receive until the End Phase of that turn)

"Terra Force Dragon," Eric whispered to himself. "It's so rough and threatening, but somehow, it's also pretty, just like her. Fate or no fate, their spiritual connection is strong."

"Indeed," Gareth nodded, also mesmerized by its appearance. "Their resemblance is almost uncanny."

Olivia blushed at their comments, embarrassed that she was the center of attention. Yet, she herself couldn't help but become entranced by the majestic sight of the monster she had just summoned. When she said that Terra Force Dragon had called out to her, she wasn't lying. Olivia did feel a deep connection to it, a connection that mysteriously frightened her, yet felt so right at the same time. Standing before her right now was the most beautiful creature she had ever seen. Her eyes sparkled with moisture as she felt the beating of her monster's heart, thumping at the same rate as her own.

"Well," Gareth grinned, "are you just going to stare at your monster or are you going to do something with it?"

"Show us your true strength!" Eric smiled, encouraging her with a thumbs up.

After hearing their words, Olivia couldn't help but smile back. Just a while ago, she had attempted to kill Eric and felt angry at the very sight of Gareth, but now, she was shocked that she felt no resentment towards either of them. As she looked at their cheerful faces, she admitted to herself that she felt genuinely happy to have met them. Despite all she did to them, they forgave her and regarded her as a fellow duelist, a fellow human being. They were, without a doubt, good people.

"Thank you," she said, wiping a tear from her eye. "You showed me that I was wrong. Now, it's time to repay you by showing you who I really am, my true power! I activate Terra Force Dragon's effect, destroying all Spell and Trap cards on the field and increasing my Life Points by 500 for each destroyed!"

Terra Force Dragon spread its voluminous wings and took flight, twirling with agile movement as it ascended into the sky and towered above Gareth. Then, without any hesitation, the dragon swooped down in a straight line and crushed his set cards, tilting upwards at a dramatic angle to create a massive flux of wind. Astonished by the sheer force of the impact, Gareth braced himself as he was struck with a flurry of turbulent gales. Gripping firmly on his overarching handlebars, Gareth managed to stabilize his duel runner and catch up with his opponent. (2800/1500)

"Now," Olivia continued, "because Terra Force Dragon was Synchro Summoned with Fragrant Allium, it gains 100 ATK times its level, giving it a total of 3300 ATK!"

"Bring it on," Gareth smirked, eager to face a worthy opponent in battle.

"My pleasure," Olivia replied back with a smile. "Terra Force Dragon, attack Crimson Blaze Dragon! Terra Firma Collision!"

The mighty Nature Dragon of Earth raised its claws and rammed them into the ground, raising jagged pillars of stone in a straight line towards Gareth's dragon, the last pillar striking it and piercing it through the chest. Shrieking in pain, Crimson Blaze Dragon exploded and vanished into dust. (2000/1500)

"Turn end," Olivia announced with a flick of her hand.

"My turn," Gareth said, drawing a card from his deck. (6/6)

He could win this turn. With the two cards in his hand, he had the tools to defeat Terra Force Dragon and win the duel. But the guilt of his last attack stopped him from doing anything. After doing something so cruel to her earlier, after she had finally understood the error of her ways, Gareth felt that winning right now would be an insult to Olivia's courage, Eric's trust, and his own pride. As he turned to Eric, he saw in his eyes the same moral conflict that was occurring inside him. As he turned to Olivia-.

"Do what you have to do!" Olivia said suddenly.

For a moment, he remained silent, shocked at her exclamation.

"Don't go easy on me," she pleaded. "I know you can win right now!"

"I can't," Gareth finally replied. "With everything that's happened, you deserve to win the most."

"No!" Olivia shouted back. "The only reason I survived to have my last turn was because you spared me! Also, the only reason I managed to beat Crimson Blaze Dragon was because you taught me what real courage was. Right now, I'm nowhere near your level, skill-wise and strength-wise. Your passion has inspired me to become even stronger, not as my parents' avenger, but as me. For that, I acknowledge you as a great duelist. If you acknowledge me, then show me your strength once more. Show me your passionate, crimson flames!"

As their eyes met, Gareth could see the persistent gleam of resolve on her face, as well as the competitive expression of a true duelist. Smiling to himself, he acknowledged that she was right. If he were to give up right now, it would truly be an insult to her feelings. The most honorable way to respect Olivia's courage was to give it his all in this duel, to show her his way of the duelist, the blazing flames of his soul.

"I activate the Speed Spell Oil Spill!" Gareth declared. "If my opponent controls more monsters than I do, I can gain 2 Speed Counters!"

Pulling back on his throttle, Gareth's duel runner blasted down the street, passing Olivia and leaving behind a trail of sparks. (8/6)

"Then," Gareth continued, "I can Special Summon a monster from my Graveyard whose level is equal to my Speed Counters. I have 8 Speed Counters, so I can Special Summon a level 8 monster. Revive, Crimson Blaze Dragon!"

As Gareth's duel runner charged down the lane, it left behind a trail of fire, burning profusely and growing larger with each passing second. Curling inwards towards Gareth, the line of flames condensed to take an amorphous shape that vaguely resembled a dragon. Then, in one swoosh, the creature within the fire blew off its surrounding flames, revealing its thick, red figure.

(You can only activate this card if you have 5 or more Speed Counters. If your opponent controls more monsters than you, gain 2 Speed Counters. Then, you can Special Summon a monster from your Graveyard whose level is equal to the number of Speed Counters you have)

"Crimson Blaze Dragon," Gareth declared, "attack Terra Force Dragon! When Crimson Blaze Dragon attacks, I can discard a card from your hand. But since you don't have one, I can destroy a card on your field instead. I destroy Terra Force Dragon!"

"I activate Terra Force Dragon's effect!" Olivia countered. "I tribute it to negate all damage I take this turn!"

"Wise decision," Gareth praised, "but not good enough! I activate my Quick Speed Spell Lightning Flare! I remove all 8 of my Speed Counters to deal you a total of 1600 damage!"

"But doesn't Terra Force Dragon all the damage I would take this turn?" Olivia asked.

"Normally yes," Gareth explained, "but in Duel Monsters, effect chains resolve backwards. That means that since I played Lightning Flare after you used Terra Force Dragon's effect, you take damage before its effect resolves."

Olivia's eyes widened after Gareth's explanation. She was surprised that he had thought so far ahead, even preparing for Terra Force Dragon's effect that she herself had barely remembered to use. His skill and understanding of the game were unlike those of anyone she's ever seen. From the way he manipulated even the most advanced game mechanics to his advantage, Gareth had confirmed for her that he was truly an admirable duelist.

"I see," Olivia smiled, closing her eyes.

Crimson Blaze Dragon unleashed a torrent of scorching flames at Terra Force Dragon, who rammed itself into the ground to pull forth a wall of rock to defend its master. However, just as the wall appeared, the flames split off into eight smaller projectiles, circumventing the rocky barrier and striking Olivia to diminish the rest of her Life Points. (2000/0)

(When your opponent activates a monster effect, remove any number of Speed Counters and inflict 200 points of damage for each)

As smoke escaped from various parts of Olivia's duel runner to signify her defeat, all three duelists hit the brakes on their duel runners, slowing down to a complete halt.

"It's my complete loss," Olivia said whimsically. "You really are strong."

"You still have much to learn," Gareth grinned, "but at least for now, I acknowledge you as a duelist."

"I'm sorry!" Olivia suddenly screamed, bowing her head at Eric. "I'm sorry for accusing your father and I'm sorry for hurting you!"

"I-It's okay," Eric stuttered, taken aback by her gesture. "You've learned your lesson, and more importantly, you've shown me that you're a good person with a tough spirit and a kind heart. After seeing how brave you are, I can't help but forgive you."

"Thanks," Olivia smiled, her eyes becoming watery once again.

Then, she turned to face Gareth, who was smiling at their sweet exchange.

"I need to apologize to you too," Olivia said, bowing once more. "I'm sorry for stealing your card. You beat me fair and square. You can have it back."

"No," Gareth said, handing it back to her. "Today, you've proven that you're more than worthy of possessing it."

"But," she contested, "didn't you say it was important to your father?"

"I can't explain it," Gareth said, "but I feel that Terra Force Dragon belongs in your hands. Eric was right, you share a special bond with that card. Take it and use it to become a stronger duelist."

"Thank you," she sniveled, bowing again, "to both of you."

"So what are you going to do now?" Eric asked Olivia. "Are you going keep looking for your mother's killer?"

"Yeah," she replied. "I know that revenge isn't the right thing to do, but I still want justice for my mother's death. I'll continue to look for clues as to who killed her and discover the truth."

"I wish you the best of luck," Gareth said, offering his hand.

Smiling gleefully, Olivia shook his hand with a firm grip. She then turned to Eric and shook his hand as well, giggling when she saw his embarrassed expression. With that, Olivia revved up her duel runner and drove off into the distance, with Eric and Gareth watching her until she became a green speck in the horizon.

"There are good people in this world," Eric smiled, happy that everything ended well.

"I used to think there weren't," Gareth grinned. "But after meeting you, it seems my outlook has changed."

"What do you mean?" Eric asked.

"I always thought that human beings were selfish creatures who did anything to please themselves," Gareth explained. "But now, it almost feels like everyone has some good on the inside. Through dueling, through expressing our true feelings, I'm beginning to believe that we can come to understand one another and overcome our differences."

Ever since Eric's experience with Conundrum, he had felt a tight knot of uncertainty in his stomach as he constantly remembered the image of someone who had become evil due to an overload of traumatic events in his life. He began to doubt the good in people and became obsessed with the fear of becoming tainted by other people's darkness. But now, he reaffirmed that just as anyone could become evil with bad experiences, anyone could shed that darkness and find their inner goodness with the right example to follow. It wasn't really that his faith in humanity was restored. It was that within the shadows that corrupted humanity, though weak and faint, he began to see a glimmer of light.

"Yeah," Eric nodded, "I think you're right."


	10. Chapter 10

Yu-Gi-Oh! D.T.

Chapter 10: Descending Shadows, Eclipse of the Faltering Moon

December 24, 3050 1:24 AM

Swift gales of wind blew past the man in black as he raced down the DR lane towards Truesdale Town. At this moment, he felt a sense of excitement and anticipation towards a duel he wanted to have more than ever. Days earlier, every Dark Chaser general received notice of a duelist disrupting their operations in a distant town. In their records, they found that this duelist had defeated multiple gang leaders stationed around his area within a timespan of several weeks. However, this feat alone didn't make him special. It wasn't until recently that the Dark Chasers began to take a greater interest in him, when he summoned Moonstar Dragon, the Light Nature Dragon, to defeat and incapacitate Conundrum, his direct subordinate with the rank of captain.

Within the Dark Chaser hierarchy, captain was the second highest rank, only falling below general status. In order to achieve the rank of captain, a member had to demonstrate incredible dueling skill as well as commitment to the group. The fact that the captain of the Dark Division had lost to a duelist who hadn't even been heard of until recently was an embarrassment to man in black's name.

Yet, the man didn't particularly care. Under the same circumstances, any other general would probably try to restore their former glory by directly confronting this duelist and personally taking him down. But the man in black wasn't fond of vague concepts like honor or glory. What separated him from the other Dark Chasers was his raw ambition. While the others simply took pride in their titles and reputations, he fought for his own desire of becoming the strongest. If a worthy opponent emerged, he would do everything he could to make sure that he was the one to beat them. For this man, he wouldn't have cared if his entire division, or even the whole Dark Chaser organization, was wiped out. In fact, that would only make him happier. The stronger the opponent, the greater the thrill of being the one to defeat them.

December 25, 3050 2:39 PM

Every year, Eric spent his birthday cash on something for himself, be it an extra bottle of iced tea or a new T-shirt he liked. But on Christmas, it was a day of giving, though not in the traditional sense. Without any friends or family, there wasn't exactly anyone to give anything to. What Eric gave on this special day was thanks, his gratitude for all the things he had. Every December 25th, he would write down a list of the most important people in his life and thank them for what they've done for him. He would thank his mother for giving him the Moonstar Dragon that he cherished so much and simply couldn't live without. For his father, it was the inspiration from his courageous ideals that motivated Eric's actions and guided his path in life. As though he was speaking directly to his parents in his letter, he expressed how much he missed them and how much he wanted them to see the kind of person he had become. He wanted them to be proud of their son.

Because his parents were the two most influential benefactors in his life, he dedicated a great deal of time to write the perfect, most heartfelt message to them, ultimately taking up a page and a half of the entire sheet. His other messages were much briefer, as they were addressed to those who were less significant to him, and who, for the most part, were still alive. For the past four years since he'd moved to Truesdale Town, Eric had given thanks to Mr. Gaige for being his supplier of iced tea and caring about him in his own strange way. Eric wished him success in his retail business and hoped for his son to excel in his dueling school. As he came to that subject, Eric also remembered to thank his previous classmates for dueling with him and helping him hone his skills. Even though he never really regarded them as friends and already forgot half of their names, Eric still took the time to express his enjoyment of the short time they had together and wished them happiness in their lives.

After writing to a few others he knew on a more superficial level, Eric pulled out a lighter and held it beside the paper he wrote on. To Eric, the burning of this message was a symbolic gesture. By lighting his letter afire, he felt that he could give furor to his words and show the genuinity of his feelings. He believed that the ashes which scattered from the letter would act as messengers, safely delivering his message to those he wrote to and expressing his thoughts spiritually rather than physically. That way, he felt like his feelings could reach everyone, whether near or far, whether dead or alive.

However, as he stared at the small flame produced from the lighter, he was reminded of something else he was thankful for. It had been a little over a month since they had met as a result of Eric's involvement with the Dark Chasers but his life already felt so hectic. Gareth, the curse that he was, had brought him much pain from trying to recruit him to his company and forcing him into situations where he had no choice but to fight. Yet somehow, that curse had turned out to be a blessing in disguise. Because of all these situations he had been thrown in, he was reunited with his best friend from kindergarten and given the opportunity to thank him for what he had done back then. Even now, he found Gareth to be a wonderful companion who understood and trusted him, a great rival with admirable courage and strength. Indeed, he probably could have avoided some very unpleasant experiences if he hadn't met Gareth, but at the same time, he wouldn't have been able to discover a bright side of humanity that he couldn't see before.

Grinning sheepishly, Eric picked up his pencil and made an addition to his letter, thanking Gareth for blessing his life with excitement, warmth, and joy. He wished him success in his business operations, luck in his battle against the Dark Chasers, and hope that he could become less uptight. While he was at it, he also wrote thanks to Olivia for reminding him that all people had the potential to be good on the inside and wished her luck in her mission to learn the truth about her parents' deaths. After he finished writing, he looked to the ceiling of his apartment room, wondering if there was anyone else he had forgotten about. He didn't know why but he felt that he had forgotten someone important, someone he hadn't seen in a long time. After a good five minutes of staring blankly at the ceiling, Eric gave up and decided to leave the letter as it was. Shrugging his shoulders, Eric ignited his lighter and set the message on fire, watching closely as it shriveled and turned to ashes.

December 25, 3050 3:01 PM

"Are you sure?" Gareth asked, his eyes widening with concern.

"That's right," said a young man in a black suit. "We've received intel that a Dark Chaser general is making his way towards Truesdale Town. Witnesses confirmed that it was a well-built man in his thirties with short, blonde hair wearing a black trench coat."

"That's without a doubt Grant Lilith," another chimed in. "But what does he want in a poor city like Truesdale Town?"

"Most likely...," Gareth began, hesitating over whether he should reveal Eric's relationship to the company to his board.

"Regardless," a third board member continued after noticing Gareth's ambivalence, "I think we should take advantage of this information and stage an attack on Malik City, the sector he normally protects. His top gangs are the most violent and destructive among the Dark Chasers."

"That's right," said another. "If we take out that group in his absence, it will be a major blow to their forces. We can even establish a base in Malik and start waging a battle against the gangs in surrounding areas."

"I disagree," frowned the chief of finance Dylan Hewitt, a thin man with long, black hair. "A direct confrontation would disturb the public order. Furthermore, setting up a base requires a large amount of capital, which, with our decrease in sales during this recession, is not something we can afford."

"So we do nothing?" another board member exclaimed. "This is a golden opportunity! If we miss this, we might never get a second chance!"

"Perhaps," Hewitt sighed. "What do you think, Gareth?"

As the responsibility of giving the final verdict fell to him, Gareth rubbed his chin to help him concentrate his thoughts. He was indeed worried about Eric, knowing that he was the only reason for any Dark Chaser to go to the ghetto city of Truesdale Town. At his current level, Gareth didn't know if Eric would be able to handle a general. But at the same time, he also acknowledged that a general leaving his post would make his sector vulnerable to an attack. Even though it was against his morals to use someone, especially his best friend, as bait, Gareth knew that defeating the Dark Chasers in Malik City would be a large step towards destroying the organization once and for all. In the best case scenario, Eric would defeat the general and the Dark Division would be finished. After thinking over his options for a few minutes, Gareth came to a conclusion.

"When can your troops mobilize, commander?" Gareth asked the man in the blue blazer sitting across from him.

"Immediately," the man replied with a smile.

"Good," Gareth grinned. "We set out in ten minutes."

"We?" the man in the blue blazer asked.

"That's right," Gareth replied. "I'm coming too. You're going to need me if you want to take down all the major gangs in a timely fashion."

"I think this is too sudden," Hewitt asked with a concerned expression. "How will you pay for the base you're going to set up? And which men are you going to station there? Do we have enough soldiers to maintain our defenses here?"

"Don't worry about the money," Gareth said. "As for the men, I'm going to have the commander and his main forces stationed there."

"Me?" the man in the blue blazer asked. "But what about headquarters? What if they attack while we're gone?"

"We'll be fine," Gareth grinned. " Sometimes, the best defense is a strong offense. Our attack is going to leave them surprised and confused. Without strong leadership, they won't make a prompt counterattack."

"I hope you know what you're doing," Hewitt frowned, sighing heavily. "It would be absolutely terrible if you fell in this battle."

"Trust me," Gareth smiled. "It's going to take a lot more than some gangsters to kill me."

Gareth's face beamed with satisfaction as his smile was reciprocated by every board member at the table, even the skeptical Dylan Hewitt. In the dangerous, war-like operations that D.T. Corporation was engaged in, it was important to have a charismatic leader who could motivate his soldiers and earn their trust. With his absolute confidence and overwhelming power, Gareth was the single most qualified individual to lead the company.

"So if there are no further questions," Gareth grinned, "the meeting will be adjourned until next month."

As he rose from his seat at the end of a large rectangular table made from a rich-colored mahogany, Gareth looked at the faces of the ten or so individuals who comprised his company's board of directors, smiling as he recognized some of the greatest geniuses of the modern age. These individuals, the eldest of which was only thirty years of age, were hand-picked by Gareth after he had profiled them and eventually concluded that they were trustworthy, intelligent, and capable. The very fact that they had all attended an emergency board meeting on Christmas and expressed genuine concern towards the situation at hand demonstrated their loyalty to the company. This group of individuals, both filial and competent, was the mind and spirit of D.T. Corporation.

Gareth's position, on the other hand, was a more complex one. Despite the fact that the Basilius family had owned the company for generations, Gareth himself was merely the chief executive officer. Yet, the amount of power he exercised was equivalent, if not greater than, that of an owner. There were two reasons for this.

First, Gareth had the complete faith of his employees, standing at the top of the company's hierarchy with both strength and intellect. Whatever actions he took for the company, he was rarely opposed, even by those who had the executive means to do so.

Second, Gareth's controlling interest in the company's stocks legally granted him the authority to nominate important company positions, including board members, the president, and even the CEO. With the amount of influence he had in the company's executive decisions, Gareth wasn't actually obligated to work for the company as an employee. However, he took it upon himself to act as the chief executive officer because he couldn't trust anyone else with the paramount task of overseeing his company's operations.

The reason for Gareth's decision was not paranoia, but rather wisdom. Since its foundation over a century ago, D.T. Corporation had developed a notorious history of undergoing multiple dramatic changes in its business operations as well as its leadership. According to historical documents, the business had begun as a research company that studied Momentum energy and attempted to find solutions to the reactor's overload problem. After the disestablishment of the Momentum reactor, D.T. Corporation shifted its research to discovering new energy sources for a world lost without modern technology. Over the years, it changed from a research company to a retail business, providing cheap necessities to an increasingly needy public. Later, D.T. altered its operations once more, this time becoming an electric company. Although the company's identity changed every few years, one fact remained true. Each of these changes was a result of leadership being usurped from the previous owners, legally or otherwise, by the consequent generations of the Basilius family, who thought that their visions were better suited for company than their predecessors'.

Perhaps the most stable period in D.T. Corporation's history was under the leadership of Gareth's father George, who unlike his precursors, had peacefully inherited ownership of the company over twenty years ago. This occurred during the world's discovery of Dynasium, which had revolutionized the world's economy and allowed businesses of all sorts to prosper. However, the exact details of his father's operations were unknown. Since he had regained control of D.T. Corporation, Gareth had failed to find any records of this time period from his company's archives. As part of a grudge, Gareth had always assumed that this censorship was the work of the nefarious Neville Bainbridge, who had clutched possession of D.T. Corporation after his father's death. By sending assassins after him and forcing him to live as a fugitive, Bainbridge had effectively removed the company's legal heir and assumed control through various, underhanded means.

At the very thought of this man, Gareth's blood curled. This was the man who had turned his life into a constant battle, who had subjected him to all the horrors that the world had to offer. This was the man who had transformed him into the warrior he was today. Without a doubt, it was primarily due to Neville Bainbridge's influence that Gareth didn't trust anyone. While it was true that his board of directors was composed of individuals he deemed to be the most trustworthy, he couldn't completely trust them. Gareth knew that each of them was intellectually capable and that anyone who possessed this trait was bound to have ulterior motives. As a result, he feared that if he was careless for even a moment, control of D.T. Corporation could slip from his fingers once more.

Calming himself in preparation for the battle that would ensue in the next hour, Gareth took a deep breath to get his mind off the past and focus on the present. As he stepped out of the elevator in the basement garage of the D.T. Corporation building, Gareth came face to face with his army of elite soldiers in black uniforms, each bearing the emblem of a red triangle inside a yellow circle. Smiling proudly, he mounted his crimson duel runner and took his place beside his commander, nodding to indicate that he was ready. As the garage door opened, the blue blazer commander motioned with his fingers. Followed closely by Gareth, the commander sped into an underground path, which diverged into a network of roads paved by D.T. Corporation for covert operations. Row by row, the duelist army joined their leaders, driving down the path towards what they all knew would be a decisive battle in their war against the Dark Chasers.

December 25, 3050 10:32 PM

Eric rode down the shoddy streets of Truesdale Town, compelled by some unexplainable force to go outside that night. He felt as though something was pulling him, not quite to a particular location but more away from something. This mysterious phenomenon was something that he had experienced on several occasions throughout his life, and, as his experiences with Gareth and Olivia had indicated, something that was not unique to him. When he was beaten up by the Dark Chasers two months ago, Gareth had somehow come to his rescue without any information on his location or his activities. Similarly, Olivia revealed that she was told in a dream to come to D.T. Corporation to steal Terra Force Dragon. Eric didn't understand the origin of this mysteriously compelling force, yet he didn't question its power. In the past, each time he had decided to obey its commands, he would always avoid some kind of trouble. This intuition had never failed him before, and he assumed that this time would be no different.

Halting his duel runner on the side of the road, Eric looked up at the dark sky to admire the pale full moon which seemed to radiate warmth in the cold night air. No matter what problems he encountered, Eric always seemed to find solace and comfort in the night sky, whose celestial bodies in their very nature reminded him that light could exist even in the darkest of things. However, on this particular day, the starless sky only gave Eric a sense of foreboding as he realized that the only source of light in the sky was the moon, full but dim. The blackness of the sky felt like a cold blanket surrounding his world, ensnaring him in its murky grasp. Without a doubt, it was an omen of ill events to come, but with what happened next, the absence of stars seemed like a trivial sign.

Before Eric's very eyes, the moon that he adored became drenched in red, its white radiance slowly corrupted by a sinister copper hue, giving the impression that it was bleeding. As the night grew ever darker in the midst of this eclipse, Eric's body shook with fear. He was unaware of the fact that this shaking was a subconscious psychological response to the second time in his life he had witnessed a lunar eclipse. Logically, the natural phenomenon of the moon passing through the Earth's shadow and becoming red as a result of sunlight being refracted through the Earth's atmosphere was absolutely harmless. But for Eric, a lunar eclipse possessed strong association with a terrible and arguably his most traumatic memory. The day Eric had first witnessed the moon becoming red was the day he had lost the person dearest to him, the day he had become an orphan. This bloody moon was a symbol of a forever unhealable wound in Eric's heart.

"It's beautiful," said a deep, gravelly voice.

Eric turned around to see a large blonde man atop a jet black duel runner, staring wistfully at the crimson moon with his dry blue eyes. Although age had not been kind to this man's ruddy and wrinkled complexion, Eric was instantly able to recognize who he was, his eyebrows furrowing as he did so.

"The moon has entered into the Earth's shadow," the man said softly. "The symbol of light has chosen darkness to be its ally, and it's never looked more beautiful."

"Grant," Eric said in a grave tone.

"It's nice to see you too, Eric," the blonde man said, turning to face him. "But you should know that I'm called by a different name nowadays."

"Yeah?" Eric frowned. "And what's that?"

"Shade," Grant replied with piercing eyes. "General Shade."

Upon hearing these words, Eric's eyes widened with simultaneous shock and fear. Without a doubt, Shade was a Dark Chaser codename, and a sinister one at that. He simply couldn't believe that a past pupil of his father actually became a Dark Chaser, using his abilities for evil rather than good. What more, Grant said that he was a general, the highest possible rank within the organization. In the fifteen years since he'd last seen Grant, Eric thought that he had just run away after his teacher died, overtaken by grief and shock. But it turned out this was not the case. This man had abandoned his teachings and climbed to the top of an organization whose actions contradicted everything Eric's father stood for. This man, Grant Lilith, had completely and utterly betrayed his teacher. At this very thought, Eric's fists shook as a deep resentment flowed throughout his body.

"Why?" Eric muttered. "Why did you become a Dark Chaser?"

"For the power," Grant replied without a second thought. "The Dark Chasers have given me everything I ever wanted and more."

"Even though they treat people and their cards like trash?" Eric asked, his voice shaking.

"That's right," Grant said coolly. "If I'm aiming to be the strongest, I have to step over the weak to reach the top."

"What about my dad?" Eric growled. "What about the things he taught you about respecting your opponents and cherishing your cards?"

"Your father was a misguided optimist," Grant said without hesitation. "The only way to survive in this world is through power. Respect is just an excuse for weakness and fear of doing what is necessary. If you hesitate to finish off your enemies, then you will be the first to die."

"You're wrong!" Eric shouted. "What ever made you believe that?"

"I think the proper question is what made you not believe it," Grant said with no change in tone. "Your father's death was a result of him failing to be ruthless in his decisions. If you're really his son, you of all people should have learned from his failure that respect is for the weak. If you want to survive in this cruel world, you need power and power alone."

"My dad wasn't weak," Eric said through gritted teeth. "He was the strongest person I've ever known, and it was his respect for both people and cards that made him strong. He believed in the good of humanity when no one else did. That's why I'll always look up to his example and follow in his footsteps. That's why I'll become a beacon of light in his place."

"A beacon of light, huh?" Grant sighed, nostalgic memories running through his mind. "Do you understand what that means?"

"It means I'm going to give people an example," Eric said with determined eyes. "It means that I will take on whatever darkness people have and show them the light."

"It means you have to be strong," Grant said with a deep growl. "If you don't have the power to back up your ideals, you can't save anyone, not even yourself. You need power to uphold your so-called justice, and for that reason, justice cannot exist without power. Hence, power is the same as justice. If you're standing on faith alone, you will inevitably fail like your father."

"I won't fail," Eric rebutted. "Like my dad, I'm strong. His spirit is with me in this deck. That's why I can cut through whatever darkness you throw at me."

"That's also why you're going to lose," Grant said with a snarl as he suddenly synced to Eric's duel runner. "If you think your father's misguided ideals will make you into a beacon of light, then I'll just have to show you the harsh reality of this world by drowning you in utter darkness."

"That's right," Eric smiled as he changed his vehicle to Duel Mode. "Talking has never done either of us any good. We settle things by dueling."

As the holographic counter began counting down, Eric and Grant stood side by side on their duel runners, painted red by the glow of the eclipsed moon. Aside from the Dark Chaser general's wicked codename, Eric was also unnerved by a terrifying number displayed on his duel runner's screen. Grant Lilith, by some miracle, had managed to accumulate a 99% win rate in over five hundred thousand duels. He thought Conundrum's record was incredible, but Grant's was on a whole different level. Yet, just like with Conundrum, Eric wasn't afraid of facing someone with a high win rate, especially not when that someone was a Dark Chaser who betrayed his father's teachings. Steadying his hands, Eric braced himself as he waited for the counter to reach zero. When the sharp buzzer sounded, both Eric and Grant pulled back on their throttles, accelerating forward with impressive speed.

"Turbo duel!" both chanted simultaneously. "Acceleration!"

From his first turbo duel with Conundrum, Eric expected that the weight of his duel runner would once again prevent him from passing the holographic finish line first. His beliefs were confirmed when Grant overtook him with ease after five seconds, jetting down the street on his thin-frame duel runner. However, to Eric's surprise, Grant slowed down just before reaching the finish line, allowing Eric to pass ahead and take the first turn.

(Both players gain 1 Speed Counter each Standby Phase. A player can activate the following effects during their Main Phase: remove 4 counters to deal 800 points of damage to your opponent for each Speed Spell in your hand, 7 counters to draw 1 card, remove 10 counters to destroy 1 card on the field)

"Why did you let me go first?" Eric asked, furious at his opponent's mercy. "Weren't you the one who said not to hesitate in beating your opponent?"

"I always let my opponent go first," Grant replied casually. "It'd be too sad if I won without letting you have even one turn. If you can stop me from winning on my turn, then I will consider you a worthy opponent."

"You bastard," Eric cursed as he drew a card. (1/1) "If you think you can underestimate me, then you've got another thing coming. I'll show you the price you pay for disrespecting your opponent."

"Just try it," Grant said with a twisted smile. "If you can."

"I summon Moon Samurai in attack mode!" Eric declared.

A shining white portal appeared beside Eric, revealing the ancient Japanese swordsman clad in blue armor.

(Moon Samurai: Level 4/LIGHT/Warrior/ATK-1000 DEF-1600/Effect-When this card is Normal Summoned, you can discard one card from your hand to increase its ATK by 800)

"I activate Moon Samurai's effect," Eric continued. "I discard a card to increase its ATK by 800!"

"I don't understand why you continue following in your father's footsteps when you're a realist yourself," Grant smirked.

"What do you mean?" Eric glared.

"You sacrificed one of your cards so that another one could become stronger," Grant explained. "It shows you understand that if you want to win, you have to step over those weaker than you."

"No," Eric snarled. "I didn't sacrifice a card. I borrowed its power to make Moon Samurai stronger. It's because my cards have such a strong bond that they can support each other. I don't believe in sacrificing others to get ahead and neither did my father."

"Those are just pretty words to hide the harsh truth," Grant smiled cruelly. "Survival of the fittest is one of the most fundamental laws of nature. It's nothing to be ashamed of. You, like your father, are a hypocrite for refusing to fully embrace the fact that you can't gain without taking from others. The way you talk is hypocrisy. The way you duel is hypocrisy. The way you live is hypocrisy."

"Shut up!" Eric barked. "I think I've had enough of your bullshit. Do you want to talk or do you want to duel?"

"No comeback, huh?" Grant grinned, pleased by his psychological victory. "It's still your turn."

"I set three cards," Eric said with a brusque growl. "Turn end."

"I must say I'm disappointed," Grant sighed. "You may have his deck but you're not nearly as good as Robert Lambert."

"Why don't you take your turn and find out?" Eric shot back.

"Very well," Grant smirked, drawing a card. (2/2) "I'll show you how much power I've obtained by knocking down everyone in my way. I summon Dark Succubus."

A pool of black sludge seeped out from the ground, and from it arose a black-haired woman clothed in repulsively revealing garments, attempting unsuccessfully to seduce a disgusted Eric.

(Dark Succubus: Level 4/DARK/Fiend/ATK-1500 DEF-0/Effect-When this card is Normal Summoned, you can inflict 1000 points of damage to your opponent and increase this card's ATK by 500)

"A succubus is a demoness that drains the life of men she sleeps with," Grant explained. "She isn't the purest of creatures but at least she's honest in her intentions."

"What does that have to do with anything?" Eric grunted impatiently. "I'm not here for a mythology lesson."

"Perhaps you'll understand with this," Grant smirked. "I activate Dark Succubus's effect. I deal you 1000 damage and raise my demoness's ATK by 500!"

"I expected someone as wicked as you to use such a crude strategy," Eric grinned. "I activate my Trap card Double Spy! I negate all damage I take this turn and Special Summon Moonlight Boxer from my hand in defense mode!"

The scantily-clad demoness flew at Eric, exposing a pair of sharp fangs. However, just as it was about to make contact, it was struck by a shining blast of energy, stopping it in its tracks. Confused, the succubus looked to her right to see what had attacked her, snarling at the sight of Eric's blue-garbed boxer.

(Negate all damage received this turn. You can Special Summon a Level 3 monster from your hand)

(Moonlight Boxer: Level 3/LIGHT/Warrior/ATK-1700 DEF-800/Effect-Once per duel, you can Special Summon a monster this card destroyed to your side of the field)

"Not bad," Grant smirked. "But it's going to take a lot more than that to live through this turn. I remove Dark Succubus from play to Special Summon Shadow Gorgon!"

Shrieking in agonizing pain, the demoness shriveled and collapsed into a swirling black hole, which churned violently and spewed toxic sludge from its center. Seconds later, a foul creature dressed in dirty rags emerged from the vortex, its petrifying gaze intensified by the hideous black snakes that made up its hair.

(Shadow Gorgon: Level 5/DARK/Fiend/ATK-0 DEF-0/Effect-This card cannot be Normal Summoned or Set. This card can only be Special Summoned by removing from play a Level 4 Dark attribute Fiend-type monster from your field. When this card is summoned, negate all effects currently on the field)

"Shadow Gorgon will negate all effects that are currently active on the field," Grant explained, "including your Double Spy."

"What?" Eric exclaimed, shocked by the sight of everything on his field turning to stone. "I've never heard of a card that could negate effects of cards that have already been played! The word 'overpowered' is an understatement!"

"This is the result of my quest for power," Grant smiled proudly. "I obtained this rare card two years ago. From who, I'm not really sure anymore."

"Obtained?" Eric asked, furrowing his brow. "Don't you mean 'stole?'"

"It's the same thing," Grant said. "I told you that power is justice. Only the victor can decide what's right or wrong. It doesn't matter how you win as long as you win in the end. The end justifies the means."

"Have you really forgotten everything my dad's taught you?" Eric asked with a shuddering voice. "About respecting people? About playing fair even if you're the only one doing it?"

"I haven't forgotten," Grant said in a neutral tone. "It's because of his naive beliefs that I learned the truth about how the world works. That's why I will never forget them: because they're the beliefs that remind me time and time again that I'm right and he's wrong."

"Then I'll prove you wrong," Eric growled. "I'll prove to you that my father's beliefs make me stronger than you!"

"You'll have to live through this first," Grant smiled wickedly. "I remove Shadow Gorgon from play to Special Summon Black Archfiend!"

Eric watched in absolute horror as a dark, muscular arm burst from within the gorgon's body, tearing its flesh apart. Slowly but surely, her entire frame was torn asunder, as blood gushed and bones protruded in a disgusting fashion. Eventually, an ugly, demonic head was revealed, howling savagely as it tore through the gorgon's disheveled carcass. It was a long, bloody minute before the evil demon to finally freed itself and unveiled its full, grotesque figure.

(Black Archfiend: Level 6/DARK/Fiend/ATK-2000 DEF-0/Effect-This card cannot be Normal Summoned or Set. This card can only be Special Summoned by removing from play a Level 5 Dark attribute Fiend-type monster from your field. Once per turn, you can double this card's ATK until the End Phase. You can halve your Life Points to decrease the ATK of 1 monster your opponent controls to 0)

"Another hideous monster?" Eric asked, still shivering from what he had just witnessed.

"Beauty is in the eye of the beholder," Grant said. "You view my monster as ugly but I think it's beautiful. It's beautiful because it's strong. To me, that's the only thing that matters."

"You're sick," Eric snarled spitefully.

"Perhaps," Grant smirked. "I activate Black Archfiend's effect! I pay half my Life Points to double its ATK and reduce Moon Samurai's ATK to zero!"

Roaring with ear-splitting reverberation, the vile demon unleashed a torrent of black sludge at Moon Samurai, who shouted in pain as his armor melted and his skin burned with acid. (4000/2000)

"You bastard," Eric grunted. "It's like that card was designed for a one-turn kill. Why do these overpowered cards exist and why do you have so many of them?"

"My deck is the product of my relentless pursuit of strength," Grant boasted. "I've assembled the most powerful cards I've ever seen into one deck, a deck that's so strong I win most of my duels in one turn. If my opponent can live through my turn, then that means that they have cards worthy enough for me to add to my deck."

"I've said this before," Eric growled, "but you're sick. You think throwing a bunch of overpowered cards into a deck will make you strong? No. You need to pour your heart and soul into your cards. That's where the strength of a duelist comes from. By using that monstrous deck of yours to crush people, you're not only disrespecting your opponents, but also your cards."

"Fool," Grant scoffed. "Idiots like you who preach about respecting your opponents and trusting your cards are nothing more than sore losers who are jealous of the power I have. Respect is nothing but an excuse for weaklings who want power but don't have the guts to seek it out themselves."

"It's not jealousy," Eric frowned. "It's human decency."

"Call it whatever you want," Grant smirked, "but it won't save you. Black Archfiend, attack Moon Samurai with Devouring Malice!"

"I activate my Trap card Shining Glow!" Eric countered. "I equip it to Moon Samurai and increase its ATK by 1000!"

Grant's malevolent demon blasted a surging wave of poisonous waste at a bare and defenseless Moon Samurai, who even with its new light enhancement, melted in an instant. The impact of the attack was so strong that Eric lost control of his duel runner and swerved back and forth before he restabilized himself a minute later. (1000/2000)

"Did you see that?" Grant asked with a devilish smile. "This is the limit of your feeble respect. You don't have the power to back up your claims about what you think is right or wrong."

"But," Eric grinned, "I lived through your turn. Even with your overpowered cards, you failed to beat me in one turn."

"Did you really think I was done?" Grant smirked. "If this was the most I could do, then there would've been no way for me to get where I am today."

"You only have one monster," Eric said curiously. "And you already attacked with it. You have no set cards on the field and you don't have enough Speed Counters to play any Speed Spells. What more can you do?"

"You would be right," Grant replied, "if you were looking from the scope of game. But I've long transcended the boundaries duelists place on themselves in 'respect' of the game. I'm not here to play. I'm here to win. I remove Black Archfiend from play to Special Summon Vampiric Shade!"

With one final howl, the repulsive demon collapsed into a sense sphere of black shadows, vibrating ominously while shooting jets of sludge in each direction. Seconds later, the sphere exploded, forming into a large swarm of shrieking bats, fluttering boisterously in the air before assembling together to take the shape of a Dracula-esque vampire. Aside from its sharp fangs and pale skin, what made this creature of the night truly terrifying was its blood red gaze.

(Vampiric Shade: Level 8/DARK/Fiend/ATK-? DEF-?/Effect-This card cannot be Normal Summoned or Set. This card can only be Special Summoned during your Battle Phase by removing from play 1 Level 6 or higher Dark attribute Fiend-type monster. This card's ATK and DEF are equal to the ATK and DEF of the removed from play monster used to summon it. This card can attack twice per turn)

"Vampiric Shade gains the ATK and DEF of the monster I removed to summon it," Grant explained. "That means its ATK is 4000."

"A monster that you can summon in the Battle Phase," Eric said through gritted teeth. "That's insane!"

"This is the true meaning of strength," Grant smirked. "Now, it's time to put your idealism to rest. Vampiric Shade, attack Moonlight Boxer with Blood-Sucking Flurry!"

Reforming into an army of bloodthirsty bats, Grant's monster rushed at the vulnerable boxer, who was mercilessly torn to shreds by hundreds of ruthless fangs. Eric gritted his teeth as he looked at his barren field, upset that he failed to protect even one his monsters.

"This isn't the end of your despair," Grant grinned evilly. "Vampiric Shade can attack twice per turn! Now, die with your father's beliefs! Blood-Sucking Flurry!"

"You won't win so easily!" Eric shouted. "I activate my Trap card Moonstar Glimmer! When you make a third attack, I can Special Summon Moonstar Dragon from my Extra Deck and draw 1 card!"

Once more, the demonic vampire transformed into a swarm of bats, which zoomed at Eric and surrounded him in a fluttering mess of black. However, within the dark cloud escaped a ray of light. All of a sudden, a pillar of shining energy shot towards the sky, knocking off all the bats and scintillating until it faded several seconds later to reveal Eric's ace monster. Unleashing an echoing roar to announce its presence, the lean white dragon descended to take its place beside its master, leaving behind a trail of sparkling dust.

(You can only activate this card when your opponent has declared a 3rd attack this turn. Select and activate one of the following effects: -Special Summon Moonstar Dragon from your Extra Deck or Graveyard and draw 1 card. -If Moonstar Dragon was removed from play by its own effect, you can Special Summon it and draw 2 cards)

(Moonstar Dragon: Level 8/LIGHT/Dragon/ATK-2600 DEF-3000/Effect: You can remove this card from play to Special Summon a monster from your Graveyard. It gains the ATK and DEF of this card. On your 2nd Standby Phase after you activate this effect, Special Summon this card)

"So that's the famous Nature Dragon of Light, huh?" Grant smiled. "It's too bad I'll have to destroy it right away. Vampiric Shade, attack Moonstar Dragon!"

"I activate Moonstar Dragon's effect," Eric declared. "I banish it to Special Summon Moonlight Boxer from my Graveyard and increase its ATK and DEF by Moonstar Dragon's ATK and DEF! Starlight Salvation!"

For the third time, Grant's vampiric bats swarmed at Eric, only to be repulsed by a blinding wave of light energy. Vanishing into particles of light, Moonstar Dragon called forth a glistening obelisk from the heavens, which exploded in a blinding flash to illuminate the night sky. When Grant's vision was restored moments later, his eyes widened at the sight of a powerful boxer on Eric's field with 4300 ATK. A twisted smile formed on his face as he watched with excitement.

"Congratulations," Grant chuckled. "You survived my onslaught. By sacrificing your Nature Dragon, you summoned a monster strong enough to fend off my attack."

"Like I said," Eric growled, "it's not sacrifice. My monsters make each other stronger by working together."

"Keep deceiving yourself," Grant smirked. "No matter what you think, you have no chance of winning. Your Moonstar Dragon is going to make a fine addition to my deck."

"You bastard," Eric cursed through gritted teeth.

"I set 1 card," Grant said. "Turn end."

"My turn!" Eric declared furiously. (3/3) "I'll win this duel and stop your pessimistic thinking. I'll show you the true power of my father's beliefs!"

"I'd like to see you try," Grant taunted.

"It's true that your monsters are overwhelmingly strong," Eric admitted, "but nothing's invincible. There's always a weakness to be exploited. While your monsters have high ATK, their DEF is weak! I activate my Speed Spell Energy Transfer! When I have 3 or more Speed Counters, I can switch the ATK and DEF of your monster!"

Grant only watched in slight amusement as his vampiric monster crouched beside him, grunting in pain. When he witnessed Grant's complete lack of sympathy for his monsters, Eric furrowed his brow and gritted his teeth harder.

(If you have 3 or more Speed counters, you can switch the ATK and DEF of 1 monster your opponent controls)

"It's over!" Eric shouted. "Moonlight Boxer, attack Vampiric Shade! Glowing Knuckle!"

"Pointless," Grant smirked. "I activate my Continuous Trap card Shadow Void. My Dark attribute monsters can't be destroyed and I don't take any battle damage."

"What?" Eric exclaimed. "Even your Traps have such overpowered effects?"

"I told you," Grant said with a twisted grin, "my deck is composed of the strongest cards in the world. It doesn't matter how smart or how well you play. You can never overcome my sheer and absolute power."

Eric's boxer, empowered with Moonstar Dragon's cosmic power, dashed at Vampiric Shade and struck it with a heavy fist of dense light energy. However, the vampire merely dispersed into a group of fluttering bats, completely avoiding destruction. Eric growled as the evil creature reformed and gave a taunting shrill laugh.

(Dark attribute monsters you control cannot be destroyed by battle or by card effects. You take no damage from battles involving Dark attribute monsters)

"I set 1 card," Eric said through gritted teeth. "Turn end."

"My turn," Grant smirked as he and Eric charged forward on their duel runners upon reaching four Speed Counters. (4/4) "I think it's about time to end this. I remove Vampiric Shade from play to Special Summon Abyssal Death Angel!"

For the last time, Grant's vampire disseminated into a flurry of bats, which flew in a swirling pattern to form a dark gateway to the underworld. After a moment of ominous silence, a black hand with long, gnarled claws burst from the portal, digging into the ground and using it as an anchor to pull out the rest of its body. What now stood on Grant's field was a blackened figure of an otherwise beautiful woman with long black hair and piercing violet eyes. Unleashing a violent shriek, the dark angel spread its humongous, black-feathered wings.

(Abyssal Death Angel: Level 10/DARK/Fiend/ATK-1500 DEF-0/Effect-This card cannot be Normal Summoned or Set. This card can only be Special Summoned by removing from play 1 Dark attribute Fiend-type monster on your field. This card gains ATK and DEF equal to the ATK and DEF of the monster that was removed from play to summon this card. Any monster this card battles is removed from play at the end of the Damage Step)

"Abyssal Death Angel gains 4000 ATK from Vampiric Shade," Grant explained. "Its total ATK is 5500."

"That's crazy!" Eric gasped, shuddering at the chilling aura evoked by Grant's monster.

"It's like I said," Grant smirked. "You're out of my league. Abyssal Death Angel, attack Moonlight Boxer and end this! Black Zephyr!"

"I activate my Trap card Moonlight Veil!" Eric declared. "My monster isn't destroyed and I gain 500 Life Points!"

Shrieking loudly, the dark angel released a massive hurricane of black wind at Moonlight Boxer, who howled in pain despite the light shield that protected it. This impact was even more powerful than the others, blinding Eric and causing him to enter the sidewalk and scrape against several buildings. As he regained control, Eric cursed upon noticing an area of paint that was scratched off from his recently purchased vehicle. However, when he realized that he had survived the attack, he breathed a sigh of relief. (300/2000)

"I don't know why you're so relaxed," Grant said with a twisted smile. "You're not out of the clear yet. I activate Abyssal Death Angel's effect. Any monster it battles with is removed from play!"

"What?" Eric exclaimed.

Eric's eyes widened with terror as he watched his monster disintegrate into black particles and vanish into thin air.

"This is the end," Grant smiled. "You have no cards on your field or in your hand. There's nothing more you can do. This proves the difference between our power. Now do you realize that strength is the only thing you can rely on?"

"I'll never acknowledge that!" Eric barked. "It's true that I have no cards left. It's true that I'm one step from losing the duel. But no matter what, I'll never give into your selfish beliefs! As long as I still have Life Points, as long as I still have cards in my deck, I have faith that my cards will help me win!"

"How stubborn," Grant scoffed. "Open your eyes to reality. Not once have you had control of this duel. Your half-assed ambition and delusional trust in your father's idealism haven't gotten you anywhere, not in this duel and not in life. That's why you will always bow down to those who are truly strong!"

"Shut up!" Eric shouted. "This duel's not over! You haven't proven anything! As long as I have a chance, my cards will come through for me!"

For the next few seconds, Eric and Grant did nothing but glare at each other, their eyes locked in a hateful psychological battle. Their ideologies stood on polar ends of the spectrum and despite the events of the duel, neither acknowledged the others' position. This was the classical instance of the clash between an unstoppable force and an immovable object. Finally, after a moment of thought, Grant sighed and smiled deviously.

"If I can't talk some sense into you," he told Eric, "then I'll have to beat it into you!"

"As long as I have a next turn," Eric said through gritted teeth, "I won't be beaten by the likes of you!"

"I suppose you should be praised for your determination," Grant smirked, "but it's too bad that you won't have a next turn."

"What do you mean?" Eric asked, furrowing his brow.

"I mean this duel's over!" Grant grinned wickedly. "I activate the effect of Speed World 2! I remove four Speed Counters to deal you 800 damage for this Speed Spell in my hand!"

"What?" Eric gasped.

Lightning surged from Grant's black duel runner, zipping through the sky and striking a terrified Eric with a tremendous explosion. Smoke escaped from Eric's duel as both came to a slow and steady stop. (0/2000)

Eric was speechless as he wore a blank expression on his face, indicating his failure to come to terms with defeat. Or rather, the fact that he had been defeated was too much for his mind to rationalize, causing him to almost reject the reality that he had lost. Normally, Eric took defeat in a duel rather harshly, as it represented his own lack of power. However, this duel wasn't just about him. It was about proving to Grant Lilith, a man who had abandoned his father's beliefs in favor of his selfish quest for power, that respect and trust were stronger than brute force. In losing this duel, Eric had not only failed in proving Grant wrong, but also in defending his father's ideals. Shocked by the fact that he had so pitifully lost, Eric entertained, for a single moment, the possibility that his father was actually mistaken, and that Grant was right about strength being the only true justice in the world. Upon realizing that he had mentally betrayed his father, even for just a second, tears of guilt streamed continuously down his blood-drained face.

At that moment, Grant approached him and plucked Moonstar Dragon from his duel disk, sticking it into his deck without the slightest hesitation. Despite witnessing his most important card being taken from him, Eric was so overwhelmed by the mental shock of defeat that he didn't even respond. He simply looked down at the ground, his shoulders heaving as his tears dripped onto his duel runner. When Grant saw the pathetic condition Eric was in, he silently turned away, uninterested in dealing with someone with such a fragile state of mind. Having completed his task, Grant mounted his duel runner and drove off into the distance.

Minutes later, Eric finally realized what had happened. Moonstar Dragon, the card his mother had given him before she died, the card that he loved and cherished more than anything else in the world, was gone, taken by the man who had betrayed his father. His cards, his ideals, his confidence. Eric had lost everything. As the harshness of this reality tore at his mind, Eric began to hyperventilate, wheezing over and over again to cope with his fleeting sanity. Drowned in the deepest despair he'd ever felt, Eric screamed at the top of his lungs, not stopping until his voice grew hoarse. As his melancholy cry echoed through the air, Eric buried his face in his arms and sobbed miserably, his figure dimly illuminated by the desolate red light of the eclipsed moon.


	11. Chapter 11

Yu-Gi-Oh! D.T.

Chapter 11: Bleak Uncertainty, Descent of the Waning Moon

January 1, 3051 6:42 AM

A blonde woman in her late twenties stood silently within a stone room, gently sweeping the dust that had accumulated over the course of the week. She had always hated this tiresome job, as the entirety of the temple was larger than an imperial castle. It wasn't unusual for her to spend several hours to clean up every room and corridor inside the temple, and by the time she was done, the aching of her slender back would render her bedridden for at least the next few hours. Luckily, she had very few duties to uphold aside from maintaining the temple which fell under her guardianship, and even that responsibility entailed little more than her weekly sweeping. She spent the remainder of her time trying to entertain herself by reading historical documents and learning the language of the outside world. Nonetheless, due to the lack of significant activities in her daily life, she was incredibly bored.

Yet, patience, if nothing else, was her strong point. It was perhaps the single most important virtue for anyone who did her job.

Indeed, the life this woman had lived was not the most pleasant, but it was not entirely devoid of enjoyment. The temple housed numerous guests, many of which spoke to her about this or that from time to time. The topics they discussed did not particularly spark her interest, but at least they managed to keep her amused for these last fifteen years that she hadn't set foot outside the temple. However, she was recently made aware of something by one of these guest, something that might put an end her solitary reclusion.

"A guardian will soon arise."

These words echoed repeatedly through her mind, tearing at her nerves with daggers of trepidation. Although she had always yearned for an escape from her mundane lifestyle, the idea of one actually emerging invoked a certain fear within her. Exactly what she was afraid of, she was not sure. Perhaps it was the fact that she had not fully mastered the language of the outside world, that she would inevitably make an embarrassment of herself when she spoke. Or maybe it was the fear of being disappointed by the outside world, and the possibility of it being completely different from the garden paradise she had remembered from her youth. Sighing deeply, the woman returned to her sweeping, trying to distract herself from her dreadful feelings of unease.

January 1, 3051 12:33 PM

He had won. Within the timespan of one week, Gareth and his soldiers had successfully dismantled the controlling faction of the Dark Chasers in Malik City and established a base of operations there to wage war against the other small gangs. In Grant Lilith's absence, they had annihilated the most vicious group of Dark Chasers in a significant economic center, dealing a massive blow to the influence of the entire organization. With his most powerful squadron in command of Malik City, Gareth hypothesized that it wouldn't take more than a month to fully liberate the city from the Dark Chasers' control. Even if Grant Lilith returned and tried to regain his territory, the numbers would not be in his favor, and amassing an army strong enough to contest with D.T. would be incredibly difficult. Gareth had taken every countermeasure and everything went exactly according to his plan. It was Gareth's complete victory.

However, despite his military success, Gareth couldn't help but feel a tight knot of guilt in his stomach. To succeed in his mission, he had used Eric as a decoy for Grant Lilith, knowing that he would be a high-priority target because of his interactions with local Dark Chaser gangs, his revelation of a Nature Dragon, and more recently, his victory against a high-ranked captain. He also knew that Grant Lilith would most likely be the one to pursue Eric because it was his second-in-command who was defeated. What he didn't understand was why the general of the Dark Division would be so careless as to reveal his location in his haste to approach Eric.

Generally, the upper ranks of the Dark Chasers took care to leave their actions and locations hidden, eliminating any witnesses to maintain the obscurity of their positions. Even with a network of spies, Gareth found it difficult to estimate the exact size and strength of Dark Chaser forces in various geographical zones. For this reason, he found it highly suspicious for any member, much less a general, to recklessly attack and give away his position. Several possibilities came to mind, none of which were the least bit comforting.

First, the Dark Chasers could have used Grant Lilith as bait, tricking Gareth into attacking his vulnerable sector and preparing a trap to take out D.T.'s most elite forces. Second, it may have been a tactical decision to sacrifice Malik City for an opportunity to attack D.T.'s headquarters. This second possibility was what drove Gareth to rush as quickly as he could to defend his company's base of operations.

Then, there was the third and most frightening possibility: Grant Lilith was so confident in his power that he didn't care who saw him. There existed the chance that Grant Lilith was so bloodthirsty that he went right to his target without a single fear. This could either mean that he overestimated himself and made a fatal decision that put his entire division at risk, or that he truly possessed a strength unlike anything Gareth could ever imagine. The cynic that he was, Gareth found himself more inclined to believe the latter, the implications of which sent a chilling surge of fear throughout his body. If there really existed someone whose strength Gareth himself couldn't gauge, then Eric had no chance against him. Gareth had no doubt that Eric was strong, and as his friend he wanted to believe in him, but against this kind of opponent, he didn't see any way Eric could have survived unscathed.

With this in mind, Gareth now faced a moral dilemma. He could either confirm his company's safety by returning to Muto City and preparing for a possible attack, or he could check up on Eric to see if he was okay. Logically, the first choice was the more rational, as a surprise Dark Chaser attack on his company's headquarters would pose disastrous consequences. Two months ago, he would not have hesitated to select that option. But now, cold logic did not appeal to him at all. He'd had enough of sacrificing ideals for results, so much so that he felt his decision to attack Malik City was wrong to begin with. Gareth wanted to believe in justice, and justice meant equality. He had already placed his company ahead of his friend once, and he was not about to do it again. Firm in his decision, Gareth shifted gears and accelerated, speeding down the vacant DR lane towards Truesdale Town.

January 1, 3051 5:54 PM

Eric lay awake on his bed, shivering coldly despite the fact that the sun had yet to fall. He had been like this since his duel with Grant a week ago, when he had, for the third time in his life, lost Moonstar Dragon. The word depressed wasn't nearly enough to describe his mental state, as he had lost much more than his most precious card. Eric didn't know why, but the pain in his chest stemmed least from his loss of Moonstar Dragon. This is not to say that the loss of his card didn't affect him. If anything, each time he lost Moonstar Dragon was more painful than the last. It was the fact that something hurt him much more, so much so that in a way, he felt like all the tears he could ever shed for his beloved card were already gone. What now ate at his mind was what Grant had told him about his father.

There were so many questions Eric wanted to know the answers to. Was his father wrong? Were things like faith and respect worthless in the face of raw power? Was strength the only true justice in this world? Eric desperately wanted to know. He wanted to know if everything he believed in was still true. He wanted to ascertain that there was merit in following his father's teachings, that he had spent his life pursuing the right path. Yet, at the same time, he didn't want to know. If the answer was no, if strength was all that really mattered, then Eric didn't know what he would do with himself. Everything he believed in and everything he lived for would've been for nothing. He would've been a fool naively chasing an impossible dream.

He would've eventually met the same fate as his father.

Eric hated the fact that he was doubting his father's beliefs and considering the truth in the words of a man who had spat in the face of everything he stood for. He wished his father was still alive so that he could ask him for guidance, so he could be given hope and confidence in the path he walked. He wished he could witness once more the warm light his father had exuded with each breath, the light that had inspired him to follow in his footsteps and become the person he was today.

But more than anyone, Eric knew that this was an impossible wish, the hopeful delusion of a lonely orphan drowning in his own self-pity. Eric hated it, but he thought Grant might've been right. Perhaps it was time for him to face reality. If Robert Lambert had truly been the strong, righteous man Eric had admired, then he wouldn't have died so easily. He would've persevered through anything and everything that came his way, shining so brightly that no darkness could stop him. He would've achieved the impossible.

But he didn't.

He died.

Like Eric, Robert Lambert had lost to the harsh cruelty of the world. His dream of people treating each other with respect had been nothing more than a dream, crushed by the reality that strength trumped everything.

All this time, Eric had believed that his victories were achieved through his determination to respect his opponents and trust his cards. Now, he considered the possibility that his determination and willpower had nothing to do with his success. He considered that it was nothing more than his strength that had allowed him to defeat his opponents and convince them of his ideals. If justice was truly whatever the victor deemed it to be, then he had done nothing more than defeat his foes and force his views upon them. Like Grant, he had used his power to have his way with others, never seeing the foolishness of his actions until he himself had tasted defeat. When he lost to Grant, he had witnessed the limitations of his power, a power he had always believed was derived from his faith in his father's convictions. But now, he considered the possibility that he was wrong. He considered that just as Grant had done to him, Eric had merely used his superior strength to force his opponents to submit to him. Grant had no resolve, no just cause to fight for, but he had won. He had won with nothing but strength, and strength alone.

Eric tried to think of some counterargument, some weakness in Grant's philosophy that allowed him to regain confidence in his father's ideals, but he simply couldn't. If he argued that he simply wasn't strong enough, then becoming strong enough would only mean defeating his opponent with power alone. He could argue that he didn't have enough resolve, but that was refuted by the fact that Grant had easily beaten him without an ounce of it. Then, if he argued that Grant's cards were simply too overpowered, Eric would only discredit his father's beliefs even further by acknowledging that rare cards were the key to victory. The more Eric thought, the more it seemed like Grant was right, and the fact that he was starting to believe it tore his heart apart.

Sighing deeply, Eric pulled his sheets over his head and curled into a ball, trying to warm his shivering body and fall asleep. He had been like this everyday for the past week but his attempts to comfort himself never succeeded, as his mind always wandered back into the dark territory shaped by uncertainty of his father's ideals and growing belief in Grant's words. Only when he completely exhausted himself did he manage to find refuge from the thoughts that perpetually haunted his mind, and even then, he always awoke panting in cold sweat, terrified by a horrible dream. It seemed like nothing spared him from his anguish. In the daytime, he was taunted by the blinding sunlight, which instilled a harrowing guilt within him and appeared to mock him for doubting his father. At night, the shadows seduced him, tempting him to abandon his father's ideals and fully commit himself to Grant's cynically realistic view of the world. Even the moon, which had always granted him peace and solace, appeared to abandon him with its long absence from the black starless sky, a reflection of the misery in Eric's heart and soul.

Suddenly, in the midst of his desolate thoughts and turbulent state of mind, Eric was brought back to reality by a loud knock on his door.

"Eric!" he heard a familiar deep voice shout from outside his door. "Are you in there?"

He ignored it. In his current state, Eric didn't want to speak with anyone, especially not someone who was so similar to Grant in his methods.

Gareth's fire deck and aggressive dueling style symbolized burning through evil with his so-called flames of justice. In other words, he believed that in order to defeat evil, he had to overwhelm them with absolute strength to punish them for abusing their own power. It was for this reason that Gareth had always dueled with powerful cards, one-sidedly crushing his opponents with unwavering ferocity and brutality. Eric had always disapproved of this approach because he believed that dueling was a way for people to understand each other rather than a way to fight. However, even this belief of his began to waver as he considered Grant's words. If people simply forced their ideas onto others by dueling, then what Gareth did was not wrong. In fact, what he did could even be considered praiseworthy, as it demonstrated a realistic understanding of the world that probably factored heavily in his success. His beliefs may be different from Grant's, but the way they went about convincing others was equally abhorrent.

At this moment, Eric felt a sense of shame run down his spine. He had just compared his best friend to the wretched man who had taken everything that was important to him. Eric had allowed Grant's cynicism to corrupt his thoughts to the point where he couldn't distinguish between his friends and enemies. It was true that his loss to Grant had driven a stake through his faith in his father's beliefs, but that was not an excuse to doubt others without giving them a chance to speak for themselves. Without any further hesitation, Eric crawled out of his sheets and opened the door.

The appalled expression on Gareth's face showed just how bad of a state Eric was in. As his widened eyes became narrow with remorseful understanding of what had occurred, Gareth silently entered Eric's small apartment room. Neither knew what to say to each other.

Minutes passed before they both spoke at once.

"Sorry," they said simultaneously.

Their eyes met at the same time, reflecting the same surprise. The next second, they both stared at the ground.

"Why are you apologizing?" Gareth asked.

"I doubted you," Eric replied softly. "I let my personal problems affect me so much that I thought bad things about you."

"You have every right to," Gareth sighed. "I'm just as bad as you think I am. No, probably worse."

"What do you mean?" Eric inquired curiously.

"I knew," Gareth said through gritted teeth. "I knew what was going happen but I didn't warn you. I put you in danger by using you as bait to attack an important Dark Chaser base while their general was gone. I could've warned you. I could've come over to protect you. I could've done so many things."

Eric's eyes widened with shock upon hearing Gareth's confession of betrayal. He didn't know what to think of the fact that the man who stood before was admitting that he was the one responsible for all the pain and grief he was forced to go through. There was a part of Eric that wanted to accept what Gareth said, that wanted to place the blame for his grief on someone else. Yet, he knew he'd never allow himself to. If anything, he now felt a slight sense of relief.

"It's not your fault," Eric smiled somberly. "The fact that you didn't warn me shows that you trusted me. You believed that I could win."

"No," Gareth muttered with a downcast expression, "I knew you couldn't win. I didn't tell you because I was afraid you would run away. Because of my selfish actions, you had to go through so much suffering."

"It wasn't anyone's fault but mine," Eric pouted. "I wasn't strong enough. I couldn't protect the things that were most precious to me. "

"Neither could I," Gareth said, his fists shaking.

Silence ensued for a few more minutes.

"Tell me honestly," Eric said. "Am I naive?"

"What do you mean?" Gareth asked.

"You said you knew I couldn't win," Eric replied. "It's because I play with too much respect for my opponents, isn't it? It's because you knew I couldn't do anything against someone who played with sheer power."

Gareth stared at the floor, trying to come up with an answer. It was true that he didn't agree with Eric's beliefs about respecting his opponents, but those beliefs were the reason why he admired Eric in the first place. The fact that Eric could be so idealistic and still win demonstrated his determination and conviction. They were the things that made Eric special. Yet, at the same time, his ideals could become the things that destroy him. If Eric ever admitted defeat, his confidence would be crushed and his faith in his ideals would falter.

In his life, Gareth had witnessed man's descent into depression far too many times. To him, there was nothing more saddening than the hopes of a naive and innocent individual being shattered by the cruelty of the darkness known as reality. Gareth understood better than anyone that a cynic was nothing more than a disappointed optimist. That was why he had so much faith in Eric, the first man he had met who retained his ideals despite the harshness of the life he had experienced. Unfortunately, hope and despair were two sides of the same coin. The more hopeful an optimist, the more pessimistic he would become when he succumbed to despair.

This was the greatest fear that Gareth harbored for Eric: that when exposed to darkness, his light would cease to shine. By overcoming the dread of living in a cruel world and persevering with his own beliefs, Eric had broken through Gareth's cynicism and taught him to live with dignity. It was for this reason that Gareth feared if Eric himself ever fell to despair, there would be no hope left for him. Eric was the beacon of light that had pulled him from the darkness, and that light was fading before his very eyes. Gareth wanted more than anything to save that light, to bring him the same hope Eric had given him. At this moment, Gareth thought of what he had to say to do so.

"No," Gareth said. "Your respect for your opponents is what makes you strong. It's your belief in your father's ideals that makes you the duelist you are."

"But I lost," Eric whimpered. "I couldn't do anything against him. No matter how hard I tried, no matter how much I believed in my cards, nothing I did meant anything against his raw strength."

"You've been through worse before," Gareth said. "Just because you lost doesn't mean that you're wrong. If you fall, all it takes is a little courage to stand back up."

"To do what?" Eric exclaimed. "Even if I face him again, nothing will change."

"Didn't you say you wanted to be a beacon of light?" Gareth asked. "Didn't you say that any human being can be saved from the darkness in their heart?"

"This is different," Eric murmured. "Grant isn't like Conundrum. He isn't lost in the darkness of his heart. It's like he's found truth in it. Absolute strength is something that he believes deep in his soul."

"Your father's ideals are something you strongly believe in as well," Gareth countered. "If it's something you truly believe, you shouldn't let something like this stop you from believing in it. You have to show him that he's wrong and that your ideals are stronger."

"I can't," Eric said.

"Why not?" Gareth asked.

"Because," Eric muttered, "I don't think I believe it anymore."

Trudging silently, Eric brushed past a dumbfounded Gareth and exited his apartment. Gareth stood frozen with shock upon hearing these words, words that he never wanted to hear again from any human being, much less Eric himself. Already etched in his heart were horrible memories of people he had met who had lost to the cruelty of the world and fell to despair. Time and time again, Gareth swore that he wouldn't ever let someone say such words again, yet time and time again, he failed. Gritting his teeth, Gareth slammed his fist against the wall, furious at himself for not being able to do anything for his friend in pain. At this moment, he had a taste of the despair that Eric felt, an agonizing powerlessness that tore open another wound in his already scarred heart.

January 1, 3051 10:44 PM

Eric knew Gareth was only trying to help, but he also knew that nothing he said could solve his problem. It wasn't a simple matter of being depressed over losing a duel. It wasn't even the pain of losing his most precious card or being betrayed by the man who was taught by his father. It was having his core beliefs fundamentally challenged and badly shaken by a force that he had no control over. Eric knew from the bottom of his heart that this was a problem he had to think over on his own. It wasn't something a mere pep-talk could repair.

Eric drove down the highway, the destination of which was unknown even to him. Or more precisely, he didn't care where he was going, as long as he was going somewhere. The freezing night wind blew furiously on his face as he charged down the road, numbing his skin and giving him focus. This was his best mode of inner concentration, as his unity with the wind made him feel like he was isolated from the chaos of the living world, away from the distractions that clouded his rationale and obscured his feelings. It was in this separate world that he tried to sort his thoughts and come to terms with everything he'd been through.

What he told Gareth was true. He didn't believe in his father's words anymore. After his duel with Grant, he couldn't believe that the key to victory was faith in one's cards and respect for one's opponent. This wasn't just about winning or losing in a card game. An individual's duel philosophy reflected their way of life, and the implications of this reflection were what made Grant such a terrifying man. Everything Grant said about power being absolute felt right. He couldn't sense any hesitation from Grant. It was as though he had found enlightenment in the darkness he had immersed himself in to achieve his goals, and truth in the answer he had discovered within that darkness. But Eric still didn't want to believe that Grant was right. He wanted to trust his father's convictions, even if he knew they were mistaken. What Eric sought wasn't a way to win in Duel Monsters. He wanted to know if his way of living was right.

Just as he began to realize this, Eric felt a jolt of pain on his back as a steel gray duel runner appeared from behind him.

"Who are you?" Eric barked, panting from the mysterious shock. "What did you do to me?"

"Don't tell me you've never felt a DED before?" the man on the duel runner sneered.

Eric turned around to see a bald young man in a black leather jacket, sticking his tongue out to reveal a column of orbular piercings.

"DED?" Eric asked.

"Duel Energy Discharge," the bald man laughed. "It's a weapon that turns my duel energy into a beam that hits harder than a gun!"

"You bastard!" Eric shouted. "You're using Duel Monsters as a weapon?"

"Of course!" he snickered. "How else do you think us Dark Chasers got as big as we are?"

"Dark Chasers," Eric grunted. "Now it makes sense."

"I'm surprised you're still alive after that last attack," the bald man grinned. "My DEDs usually kill instantly. For you to survive that, you must have quite a bit of duel energy. Maybe that's why General Lilith wanted a piece of you himself."

"What do you want with me?" Eric frowned. "If you're under Grant, you should know that I don't have Moonstar Dragon anymore."

"But you have other rare cards, right?" the man smirked. "Just 'cuz the general gets the best prize doesn't mean I can't get the leftovers. After all, I gotta stock up before we take back our base from those annoying DT army ants."

"You bastards are all the same," Eric growled. "If you want my cards, you have to duel me for them."

"Says who?" the bald man laughed. "I can just shoot another DED at you and take your cards!"

Without batting an eye, he pushed the button on his duel runner that fired his DED. At that moment, however, a shock ran through him and prompted a hoarse scream. Eric's eyes widened as his own duel runner engaged into Duel Mode, with his deck being shuffled and his duel disk flashing to indicate the start of the duel. Turning around, he noticed that the same had happened to his cursing opponent. As Eric faced forward again, his screen revealed the bald man's name to be Heist, a Dark Chaser with an impressive 82% win rate.

"Why the hell do you have a DED repeller?" Heist snarled. "Are you also a DT ant?"

"No," Eric replied. "But it looks like I've made friends with the queen."

"Fine," Heist said, suddenly smiling, "have it your way. I'll take all yours cards after I beat you."

"We'll see," Eric muttered under his breath.

"Duel!" both shouted at once.

"I'll take the first turn," Heist said assertively (1/1). "I activate the Speed Spell Over-Acceleration! I multiply my Speed Counters by each multiple of 1000 Life Points I have. I have 4000 Life Points so my Speed Counters are multiplied by four!"

On his very first turn, the bald duelist pulled back hard on his throttle, accelerating far past a shocked Eric as his Speed Counters quadrupled. (1/4)

(Multiply your Speed Counters by each multiple of 1000 Life Points you have)

"I activate the effect of Speed World 2!" Heist chuckled. "I remove 4 Speed Counters to deal 800 damage for each Speed Spell in my hand. I have 5 so you take 4000 damage!"

"An OTK?" Eric exclaimed. "This style of dueling is like-!"

"Looks familiar, right?" Heist interrupted. "I built my deck to finish my opponents off in one turn like General Lilith's."

"You bastard," Eric growled. "I activate Moonlight Pixie's effect from my hand. I discard it to negate one instance of effect damage!"

As a tremendous bolt of lightning shot from Heist's gray duel runner, a miniature fairy-like creature blinked onto Eric's field, protecting its master by scattering the lightning into its composing electrons. (1/0)

(Moonlight Pixie: Level 2/LIGHT/Fairy/ATK-0 DEF-0/Effect-During your opponent's turn, you can discard this card from your hand to negate your opponent's card effect that would inflict effect damage. If you do, you can Special Summon this card from your Graveyard during your next Standby Phase)

"Shit," Heist cursed.

"This is what you get for disrespecting your opponent," Eric lectured. "Now that I know you have all Speed Spells in your hand and you have no Speed Counters, you have nothing to protect you from my attack next turn."

"You'd like to think so," the bald man smirked. "I activate the Speed Spell Speed Recycle. For each Speed Counter I removed this turn, I can shuffle that many cards back into my deck and draw the same number."

"Another Speed Spell with no Speed Counter cost," Eric grunted.

Eric snarled as he watched a smile form on his opponent's face after seeing his newly drawn cards.

(For each Speed Counter you removed this turn, you can shuffle the same number of cards from your hand to your Deck. Then, draw the same number of cards you shuffled)

"I set 2 cards," Heist declared. "Turn end."

_This guy_, Eric thought to himself, _he duels just like Grant. Trying to win in one turn without giving his opponent a chance to fight back. Relying on rare cards with overpowered effects. I don't want to go through this again._

He took a deep breath before pinching the top card of his deck.

_But this is the chance I've been looking for, the chance to see for myself if I can still believe in my father's words._

"My turn," Eric announced, drawing a card. (2/1) "Moonlight Fairy is Special Summoned to my field during my Standby Phase."

A glittery noise echoed through the air as the tiny pixie creature blinked onto the field once more.

"Next," Eric continued, "I summon the Tuner monster Moonlight Sorcerer."

A golden portal formed beside Eric, revealing a thin magician dressed in a thin blue robe.

(Moonlight Sorcerer: Level 4/LIGHT/Spellcaster/ATK-400 DEF-2000/Effect: This card gains 200 ATK for each LIGHT attribute monster on the field)

"I'm tuning level 4 Moonlight Sorcerer with level 2 Moonlight Pixie," Eric declared. "The shining moon guides all to greatness. Glisten brightly in your destiny! Synchro Summon! Sparkle, Lunar Knight!"

Eric's two monsters zipped upwards as small masses of light, swirling intensely before slamming into one another and illuminating the dark sky. In one instantaneous flash, a gigantic pillar of light descended from above, dissipating immediately to reveal Eric's armored, lance-wielding knight.

(Lunar Knight: Level 6/LIGHT/Warrior/ATK-1800 DEF-1400/Effect-This card can attack until your opponent controls no monsters. This card gains 100 ATK for each monster in your Graveyard)

"My monster gains 100 ATK for each monster in my Graveyard," Eric explained. "I have two monsters so it gains 200 ATK. Lunar Knight, attack directly with Shining Lance!"

Without putting forth any resistance, Heist received the full brunt of Lunar Knight's piercing lance, impaling straight into his chest. (4000/2000)

"See?" Heist smirked. "You do have some rare cards left."

"You're sick," Eric grunted.

"Maybe," Heist snickered, "but at least I win duels. I activate my Trap card Murderer's Guilt. When I receive damage from your monster's attack, I take control of it and deal you 500 damage!"

"What?" Eric exclaimed.

Its eyes turning red with fury, Lunar Knight spun around and struck Eric with its lance before leaping to his opponent's side of the field. (3500/2000)

(When your opponent's monster inflicts battle damage to you, take control of that monster and inflict 500 points of damage to your opponent)

_There it is again,_ Eric fumed. _Without any regard for his opponent, this guy just took my card. If he has to steal my cards, that means that he has no faith in his own cards. Needless to say, he has no respect for his opponents, just like Grant. And yet, he managed to take field dominance and control the pace of the duel. _

"I set two cards," Eric said through gritted teeth. "Turn end."

"Is it over already?" Heist chuckled to himself as he drew for his turn. (3/2) "I activate the Speed Spell Double Accel! I double the number of Speed Counters I have!"

Pulling his throttle back even harder than the first time, Heist zoomed past an agitated Eric, blowing dust in his face. (3/4)

(Double the number of Speed Counters you currently have)

"I activate Speed World 2's effect!" Heist cackled. "I deal you 1600 damage for these two Speed Spells in my hand!"

Eric braced himself as he was struck by a bolt of electricity shot from Heist's duel runner, tightening his grip on his handles to stop himself from losing control. (3/0) (1900/2000)

"Let me get a taste of your rare cards," Heist smirked, licking his lips. "Lunar Knight attacks you directly!"

"I activate my Trap card Moonlight Revival," Eric countered. "I banish all other monsters in my Graveyard to Special Summon Moonlight Sorcerer in defense mode! This turn, it can't be destroyed by battle!"

Just as Eric's monster, now under the control of his bloodthirsty opponent, prepared to lunge, a bright light appeared on his field, revealing the robed spellcaster in a kneeling position, spreading his arms out to generate a barrier. Realizing that it couldn't penetrate Eric's defenses, Lunar Knight returned to its normal stance.

(Select one monster in your Graveyard. Remove from play all other monsters in your Graveyard to Special Summon it. It cannot be destroyed the turn you summon it)

"You're no fun," Heist whined. "Turn end."

_This bastard's ruthless,_ Eric thought. _Every turn, he's trying to finish me off with those overpowered cards of his. If I'm not careful, I could lose at any moment._

"My turn," Eric declared. (4/1) "I summon Moonlight Boxer in attack mode."

Appearing from a shining portal, the lean boxer dressed in blue shorts hopped onto the field, bouncing up and down in a traditional boxing stance.

(Moonlight Boxer: Level 3/LIGHT/Warrior/ATK-1700 DEF-800/Effect-Once per duel, you can Special Summon a monster this card destroyed to your side of the field)

"Next," Eric said, "I activate the Speed Spell Energy Transfer. I switch the ATK and DEF of Lunar Knight!"

Eric watched in slight discomfort as he weakened his own monster, kneeling and panting with exhaustion.

(If you have 3 or more Speed counters, you can switch the ATK and DEF of 1 monster your opponent controls)

_I'm sorry,_ Eric mentally apologized to Lunar Knight. _But if I destroy you with Moonlight Boxer, I can bring you back to me. Forgive me._

"Moonlight Boxer," Eric announced, "attack Lunar Knight with Glowing Knuckle!"

"Naive!" Heist laughed. "I activate my Trap card Nostalgia Trigger! When your monster attacks a monster you own, I take control of that monster!"

"Again?" Eric exclaimed.

Eric watched in absolute horror as yet another of his monster turned against him, glaring at him with hateful eyes, eyes that seemed to abandon all sense of familiarity.

(When your opponent declares an attack against a monster they own, take control of the attacking monster)

Now, not one, but two of his monsters stood opposite him, exuding a murderous intent that seeped painfully into Eric's chest, tearing him apart. These were monsters he had always played with, monsters that stood by his side for years. But now, they regarded him as an enemy. In the face of this situation, Eric faced a dilemma: he couldn't bring himself to destroy his own monsters. He simply couldn't accept being a hypocrite. How could he expect others to respect their cards if he didn't respect his own?

At that moment, Eric glared at his smirking opponent, knowing that he wasn't having any of these personal worries or concerns. He wasn't conflicted over issues of morality or ethicality. He was just a selfish bastard who did everything for himself without any consideration for his principles. In fact, Eric entertained the thought that this man had no principles. He had no self-convictions, no beliefs to defend.

"You're just a fake," Eric growled angrily.

"What are you talking about?" Heist asked.

"Everything you've done was just copying others," Eric said. "You copied Grant's dueling style. You stole my monsters. None of it was you at all."

"So what?" Heist scoffed. "I do whatever it takes to win. If copying General Lilith makes me stronger, if you have strong monsters that I can steal from you, I'll do it if it'll let me win against anyone."

"Don't you have any sense of self at all?" Eric asked. "If all you're doing is copying and stealing, you're not just disrespecting your opponent. You're disrespecting your cards and yourself."

"Like I give a damn," Heist smirked. "Power is power, no matter how you get it."

"You guys are all the same," Eric said through gritted teeth. "You, Grant, all of you Dark Chasers. All you care about is power, without a single care for what you do and who you hurt. If you don't care about your cards or your opponents, you'll never-."

Eric couldn't finish his sentence. The words he had spoken were ideals deeply ingrained in him for many years, words he had spoken many times to many opponents. Yet, this time, he couldn't finish. With his humiliating loss to Grant, with his uncertainty in his father's beliefs, he couldn't find the conviction to empower these words, words he no longer had any faith in. Words that were empty.

Eric's head fell as he sagged his shoulders. Without a sound, he declared the end of his turn.

"I don't know what you were trying to say," Heist smirked, "but to be honest I don't really care. It's my turn!"

Heist smiled as he glanced at the card he eagerly drew. (5/2)

"Looks like this duel is mine," he laughed. "I activate the Speed Spell Double Shock! I pay 1 Speed Counter to halve the ATK of my monsters, but in exchange they can attack you directly and I gain 2 Speed Counters for each card on the field!"

Sticking his tongue out from his mouth, Heist pulled back on his throttle and charged past an unresponsive Eric. (5/9)

(Remove 1 Speed Counter. Until the End Phase of this turn, your monsters' ATK is halved and they can attack your opponent directly. Gain 2 Speed Counters for each card on the field)

Eric made no response. He knew he was on the verge of defeat, but he made no response.

"I attack you directly with Moonlight Boxer!" Heist cackled.

Howling madly, the lean boxer dashed at is owner and threw a hook at Eric, who couldn't bear to look his monster in the face. Yet, he felt the blow, in his heart. (1050/2000)

_So this is it, huh?_ Eric thought weakly to himself. _This is how it's going to end._

"I attack you directly with Moon Samurai!" Heist laughed hysterically.

Once more, Eric felt the piercing sharpness of his monster's treachery, wounding his chest and spilling what faith in his monsters he had left. (400/2000)

_Is this my punishment?_ Eric asked himself. _For believing in something that never existed?_

"Now," Heist snickered, "I activate the effect of Speed World 2! I pay 4 Speed Counters to deal you 800 damage! Go to Hell!"

_Is this what Dad felt in his last moments?_

Eric raised his head to gaze at the night sky, starless, moonless, void of all light. He had hoped at the very least that he would catch some glimmer, some sparkle, something that could save him, or at the very least comfort him, in this hopeless situation. He saw nothing but a squirming bolt of lightning flying straight at him, aimed to finish him off with the utmost hostility.

Yet, this was all he needed. As soon as he saw this light, a light which represented coldness instead of warmth, chaos instead of order, death instead of life, something clicked inside Eric. What he found was not faith, or confidence, or peace. What Eric felt was a shrieking rage, screaming for self-preservation and vengeance against the cruelties the world put him through. It didn't matter that he lost trust in his father's values. It didn't matter that his beliefs and his pride had been stripped from him. Nothing from his past mattered. Because, for a brief moment, he no longer cared.

"I activate my Trap card Magnetic Wave!" Eric declared. "I equip it to Moonlight Sorcerer and remove 800 of its DEF to negate damage!"

Inches before reaching Eric, the electrons from the lighting swerved towards the magnetized monster to which they were now attracted, sending a painful shock to his monster but saving him from defeat. (5/5)

(The equipped monster loses ATK or DEF points equal to the amount of damage you would take and is the only monster your opponent can attack)

"Boo," Heist pouted. "Oh well, I guess I'll have to wait until next turn to finish you. I set 1 card. Turn end."

"You won't have a next turn," Eric said darkly.

"What are you talking about?" Heist scoffed. "You have nothing on your field except a crappy monster with hardly any ATK. Even if you manage to summon a stronger monster, this Trap card of mine is just gonna take it. You've got nothing!"

"Draw," Eric said, ignoring his opponent. (6/6) "I activate the Speed Spell Maximum Boost. When you have more Life Points than me, I double my Speed Counters."

Without so much as a blink, Eric yanked hard against his throttle, lifting his duel runner onto its back wheel and blasting down the lane far past Heist. (12/6)

(If your opponent has more Life Points than you do, you can double the number of counters you have)

"I activate the effect of Speed World 2," Eric said with a grim tone. "I remove 10 Speed Counters to destroy your set card."

An orange sphere of light emerged from above Heist, shining ominously before unleashing a tremendous burst of exploding energy downwards, completely annihilating his only set card. He had seen this holographic animation multitudes of times before, but something about this felt different, something felt wrong.

"W-wait a second," Heist stuttered. "Slow down. Don't-."

"I summon Bright Star," Eric interrupted.

A small orb of light blinked onto the field, hovering silently beside its master.

(Bright Star: Level 1/LIGHT/Psychic/ATK-500 DEF-0/Effect: If this card is sent to the Graveyard, you can Special Summon it to your side of the field on your next Standby Phase)

"I'm tuning level 4 Moonlight Sorcerer with level 1 Bright Star," Eric declared. "Synchro Summon. Lunar Wolf."

Eric's two monsters formed into swirling vortexes of light, churning violently before merging together to create a catastrophic mess of clashing waves, with jets of energy spewing vehemently in every direction. As the chaos subsided, what remained was a ravenous wolf with silver fur, coated black by the darkness of the night. A cold bead of sweat ran down Heist's face as he stared this horrific monster in the eye, sharp yellow eyes that screamed of bloodlust.

(Lunar Wolf: Level 5/LIGHT/Beast/ATK-2000 DEF-1000/Effect: When this card destroys a monster by battle, you can banish 1 LIGHT monster from your Graveyard to have it attack again)

"Lunar Wolf attacks Moonlight Boxer," Eric commanded without an ounce of sympathy for his own monster.

Swiftly and deftly, the silver wolf leapt off of its powerful hind feet and charged at the blue-garbed boxer, tearing its flesh to shreds while ignoring its dry shrieks. (400/1700)

At that moment, Heist felt a severe pain in his chest, screaming in horrific agony.

"What did you do to me?" he panted with an exasperated expression.

"Lunar Wolf's effect activates," Eric said, ignoring Heist. "I banish Moonlight Boxer to have it attack again."

"Wait!" Heist pleaded. "Something's not right!"

"Lunar Wolf attacks Lunar Knight," Eric declared without hesitation.

Once more, Lunar Wolf jumped at his opponent's monster, stripping off its armor before brutally and bloodily dismembering the human inside. (400/1000)

Once more, Heist groaned in unbearable pain as he clutched his chest, tears streaming continuously down his face.

"Please!" he begged while sobbing. "Forgive me! What happened to respecting your opponent?"

"Lunar Wolf's effect activates," Eric said, ignoring him. "I banish Lunar Knight to have it attack again."

"No!" Heist pleaded. "I'll do anything! I'll give you all my cards! I'll give you all my money! I'll-! I'll-!"

"Lunar Wolf," Eric said coldly, "direct attack."

Heist's face grew pale as blood rushed away from it. For the final time, the ravenous wolf leapt on its helpless prey and tore it apart, slashing and biting repeatedly. For a continuous minute, screams of unspeakable suffering echoed throughout the chilly air, filling the night with the dreadful aura of pain and death. Eric, riding leagues ahead of his opponent, didn't so much as turn around to see what was happening. (400/0)

Until the screaming stopped moments later, followed by a thundering crash.

Due to the deafening sound of the impact, Eric suddenly awoke from his trance-like state, blinking several times to reconfirm where he was and what he was doing. When he remembered that he was in the middle of a duel and realized what he had done, he looked around in search of his opponent, who was nowhere to be seen. Seeing on his duel runner screen that the duel had already concluded with his shocking victory, Eric hit the brakes and turned his vehicle around, driving back to see what had become of Heist.

He never found his opponent.

What he found was a charred mass of savagely torn flesh, burning continuously from the fire engulfing his completely dismantled duel runner lying pitifully on the side of the highway. What Eric felt from this horrendous sight could not be described in words. Shock, fear, disgust, and confusion did not even begin to describe what Eric experienced. As the putrid odor of burnt flesh entered his nostrils, Eric crawled out of his duel runner and vomited on the side of the road. Several times.

He had no idea what had happened. He had no idea why he did what he did. He had no memory of the rage or despair he felt minutes ago. All he knew was that someone had died, and that he was the murderer. All sorts of thoughts and emotions ran through Eric's mind, and in the midst of this chaotic uncertainty, he managed to find only one solution to cope with what he was experiencing. Hopping back on his duel runner, Eric shifted to high gear and bolted down the highway toward home, never ceasing to shudder with fear and anxiety until he reached the front door of his apartment.

Now in the safety of his home, Eric collapsed on his knees, cold fearful tears pouring from eyes and soft whimpers echoing throughout his room. Over and over again, images of today's events flashed in Eric's head, robbing his peace of mind and, very nearly, his sanity. The betrayal of his monsters. The terrified look on Heist's face. A demonic wolf. A human carcass shredded and burnt beyond recognition. These were followed by other scarring memories. Conundrum's unconscious tears of sadness. Grant's hardened face. Gareth. Olivia. The Dark Chasers. All the pain he had to endure was too much.

Unleashing a bloodcurdling shout, Eric slammed his fist on the ground, slowly lowering his head as he wept. Then, at that moment, he felt something fall from his right pocket.

Looking back, Eric's bloodshot eyes widened as he saw the card that he last played: Lunar Wolf. As he picked up the card and beheld its voracious figure, he came to a sudden and dark realization. All of these painful memories. All the suffering he'd been forced to endure. Duel Monsters was the root cause. Gritting his teeth and tasting the salt in his tears, Eric pulled the rest of his cards out of his pocket and tossed them against the wall with all his might, scattering them and bending several out of shape.

He had made up his mind. Or perhaps it had already been made since his loss against Grant.

After everything he'd been through, he couldn't take it anymore.

Eric was no longer a duelist.

It was over.

He quit.


	12. Chapter 12

Yu-Gi-Oh! D.T.

Chapter 12: Falling Chaos, The Unleashed Flames of Pain

January 2, 3051 4:23 AM

The blonde keeper of the temple sat alone in her spacious sleeping chamber, pondering the future as she stared blankly at the grainy stone bricks which composed her room and much of the temple she resided in. She knew something bad had happened; she had felt an explosion of anger, an anger so desolate and pitiful that it could only be achieved through the darkest of solitudes. It had been written in the scriptures that anger was an emotion that derived from many things, among which the most powerful were the desperation of survival and the acceptance of loneliness. Many had awakened their untapped potential by depending on such raw, grotesque emotions, having to look at the void before resolving themselves to pursue a path that knew no love or friendship. Such a path was undesirable for virgin eyes to the dark, but almost inescapable for the unfortunately initiated, either lost in the despair of life or the fear of death. The historical records written by previous priests contained many stories of guardians who thrived on these feelings of fear and isolation, who led miserable lives but eventually came to be known as triumphant vanquishers of evil.

The woman breathed an audible sigh as she remembered the childhood teachings of her people's history, laden with tragic heroes who used their feelings of woe to destroy their enemies. Against her will, she was forced to remember the tales of sadness on which the survival of the world had depended, each figure robbing her childhood of pleasure and naivety, filling her thoughts with bleak images of necessary darkness. However, her education, though very impactful and arguably traumatizing, had failed to deprive her of an adolescent sense of heroism. Historical trends had dictated that these terrible emotions were what drove men to achieve their destinies, but no matter how many examples of dark heroes existed in the records, she believed that darkness neither caused nor correlated with power and success.

This belief was reflected in her favorite character from history, a guardian known as the Golden Basilisk who overcame the savagery and seduction of the monster within him and fought with such nobility that even those more powerful than him could not withstand the light he exuded. She had thought many times to herself how wonderful it would be if every human being learned from his example, if everyone had the courage to look at their pain and suffering head on and defeat it with nothing but courage alone. But sadly, her hopes were met with nothing but mockery and disappointment. Her mentors and peers had dismissed her optimistic wishes as the naive ramblings of a foolish girl who knew nothing of the world's cruelty.

Scarred by humiliation, she had never publicly expressed her sentiments again. Yet, she never stopped believing. And now that a new guardian has arisen from the shadows under her priesthood, she felt that it was the time to put her theory to the test. Nodding her head and crossing her arms against her chest, she whispered a brief prayer, asking for help on this new guardian's behalf to confront his inner darkness and rise forth to leave his mark on history, not as a warrior of sadness and hatred, but as a true hero of hope and justice.

Satisfied with her prayer and hopeful for the future, the woman rose from her bed and exited her room, eager to read the story of the Golden Basilisk once again.

January 2, 3051 4:56 AM

"What the hell is this?" Gareth growled as he pulled up on the highway beside a bloody pile of human flesh, mutilated beyond human recognition.

"We received a report of an unidentified object blocking the road," said a young woman with short blonde hair and sharp green eyes, adorned in the black D.T. uniform with a single gold stripe across her torso to indicate her rank of battle commander. "From our preliminary analyses, the cause of death was ruptured organs. The weapon is unidentified."

"Look Aja," Gareth said as he pointed at a particular wound, "these incisions were caused by a slashing motion, undoubtedly from some kind of carnivorous animal."

"You think this was an accident?" the woman asked incredulously. "You think a wild beast just happened to attack a man as he was driving down the highway?"

"Do you have another hypothesis?" Gareth replied sternly.

"What if he was in a duel?" she suggested, "His duel runner was damaged so severely that we couldn't recover any data. Maybe his opponent did this to him and erased the evidence?"

"There's no evidence to prove that," Gareth said. "And even supposing that was the case, we know this man is a Dark Chaser. No D.T. employee has records of dueling him and none of our technology has the capability to do this much damage."

"Maybe it was another Dark Chaser who did it," Aja proposed. "Maybe they had some kind of falling out. It's not surprising for a Dark Chaser to resort to such violent methods."

"These are all hypotheticals," Gareth sighed. "There simply isn't enough evidence to come to any solid conclusions. All we can do is wait for the forensic analysis."

"We're taking the body into custody then?" Aja asked.

"That's right," Gareth said. "We can't trust the police to take care of this. Report back to me when the analysis is complete."

"Yes sir," Aja replied as she raised her hand in a salute.

As Gareth mounted his crimson duel runner and pulled down his overarching handles, he wore a grim expression on his face. He didn't lie to his battle commander when he said a D.T. employee wasn't involved in this incident. But he did hide the fact that he knew what had happened. Now, the only thing he didn't understand was how or why it had happened. Sure, he knew Eric was upset over his defeat and uncertain of his father's morals but he never expected that Eric would do something so rash as to kill a human being. By habit, Gareth began a line of reasoning to rationalize a situation he didn't fully understand. In psychopathic behavior, the mental desensitivity to taking a life is generally activated by an emotional trigger, often connected to a childhood trauma. In a sense, Gareth could imagine a scenario in which Eric's past struggles with bullying and loss could resurface from recent events and drive him to kill his opponents in anger. At least, from a general profiling view, this hypothesis was completely logical. However, this was Eric he was thinking about, the same Eric who had the willpower to overcome grief with his own self-confidence and upstanding virtues. In even evaluating such an individual as a criminal, Gareth felt an immense guilt in his chest. Yet, he knew that if this same individual posed a threat to society, it was his duty to neutralize the threat, even if it meant taking out his closest friend.

Weighing his emotions against his reason, Gareth ultimately came to the decision to visit Eric and see for himself what had occurred. Part of this decision derived from the fact that Eric was the primary suspect in this investigation and that interrogation was a natural part of the process. Another part was from Gareth's desire to confirm that Eric wasn't the one who had done it, or that he had a good reason for doing it. Convinced that he had made the optimal choice, Gareth swirled his vehicle around in a swift motion and pulled back on the throttle, accelerating down the highway towards Truesdale Town.

January 2, 3051 9:49 AM

Dylan Hewitt, D.T. Corporation's chief of finance, sat quietly in his office on the top floor of the headquarters building, tapping away on his computer, the chattering of his keyboard echoing softly throughout the mostly empty room. Hewitt's personality was perhaps best described by the very structure of his office, bare without a single decoration and white without a single stain. This man was motivated and defined not by a sense of self-worth but rather a sense of utilitarianism, the idea that he existed for the very purpose of bringing peace to society as a whole. Without any hobbies and completely devoid of a social life, Dylan Hewitt devoted the entirety of his time and energy to the activities of the company in which he worked, believing without an ounce of doubt that it was the world's best chance at attaining the kind of peace he imagined. Aside from his undoubtable skill and intellect, what made him a valuable asset to D.T. Corporation and what caught Gareth's eye was his complete devotion to the good of mankind, an undying loyalty to an entity which ensured an allegiance that could not be swayed.

Yet, this unshakable faith was also what made Dylan Hewitt one of Gareth's most fearsome adversaries. Hewitt was not devoted to Gareth or D.T. Corporation, but to his concept of peace, which, at least for the time being, coincided with the interests of the company. However, if he found any reason to doubt the intentions of those around him, if he sensed a threat to his vision of world peace, he would not hesitate to rectify the problem. Such was the motivation of a certain action he had recently taken, a task he had assigned to the individual who had just walked into his office.

"Reporting," the blonde Aja declared as she stood rigidly at the door with a salute.

"Come in," Hewitt said, continuing his typing without bothering to look up.

"It's as you predicted," Aja said solemnly. "Gareth is hiding something from us."

"I see," Hewitt replied stoically. "What have you learned?"

"The forensic analysis returned with no trace of foreign organic substances," Aja said. "However, there were massive traces of duel energy on the body, suggesting that some kind of duel weapon was used. This confirms what was obvious even before the forensic analysis. This wasn't an accident; this was murder. Yet, knowing this, Gareth kept insisting that it wasn't."

"And?" Hewitt asked.

"We need to find out what Gareth is hiding," Aja said through gritted teeth. "Trying to throw us off track, making suspicious visits to Truesdale Town. As things are going, we can't trust him. If it turns out that he's actually on the Dark Chasers' side, there's no telling how or when he's going to betray us."

"Keep watching him," Hewitt said. "Anything he does, report to me."

"But sir," Aja exclaimed, "right now, shouldn't we confront him about-?"

"No," Hewitt interrupted. "We don't know enough to come to a conclusion. For now, we should just see how things proceed. We need to tread carefully and avoid making hasty decisions."

"You sound just like him," Aja scoffed under her breath.

"Excuse me?" Hewitt said, raising his head.

"Nothing," Aja sighed. "I'll do as you say."

Without another word, the battle commander exited Hewitt's office, leaving him to his personal ruminations.

_I don't know what you're planning, Gareth,_ he thought to himself, _but if you do anything to jeopardize our mission, I'll terminate you._

Taking a sip from his cup of coffee, Hewitt returned to his work, the echoes of keyboard chattering filling the room once again.

January 2, 3051 10:05 AM

Gareth was appalled at what he saw. Eric, despite all that had happened to him, wore a wide smile on his pale face as he walked with Gareth along the cracked, uneven sidewalk, trying to stir up some cheerful conversation. Only yesterday he had witnessed Eric in the most miserable state he had ever seen and yet today, he was all smiles. Inside, a small part of Gareth wanted to believe that Eric had settled his grief and come to terms with what had happened. But the rest of him knew the truth. He could see it in Eric's eyes, the dried out spirit of someone who had lost all sense of himself. This flamboyant Eric that stood beside him wasn't the person he had regarded as his friend; it was the empty shell of a person trying to run away from the pain in their heart.

"You know," Eric said with a forced smile, "I've been feeling much better since I stopped dueling. I don't feel any more stress. I'm not spending my life trying to play silly card game anymore. Maybe you should quit too. It feels like a burden's been lifted off of me."

"Eric," Gareth said through gritted teeth, "tell me exactly what happened."

"What do you mean?" Eric asked with a blank expression. "Nothing happened. I just decided to move on with my life. That's all."

"This isn't like you," Gareth growled. "The Eric I knew wouldn't have given up so easily. You don't have to deal with this by yourself. Tell me what happened so we can figure this out together."

"Stop sounding so serious all the time," Eric laughed awkwardly. "Maybe that's why you don't have many friends. You've gotta chill out and think about the important things in life."

Gareth's eyes widened for a second at the words coming out of Eric's mouth, so foreign and so distant that it felt like he didn't know the person standing beside him, like he couldn't recognize his friend anymore. Hanging his head, Gareth continued listening to Eric's meaningless talk, unable to even look at his face.

"Maybe I should sell my cards," Eric chuckled weakly. "I'm sure someone else would want them. They did get me through Duel Academy after all."

"Sell your cards?" Gareth muttered. "Those were your father's cards. You've played with the same deck your whole life because you never stopped believing in it. You cherished it so much. How could you just give it away?"

"I've found that it's time for me to let go of the past," Eric smiled. "At some point, you have to realize that the past is only holding you back, that the only way to move on is to stop obsessing over the things that have already happened, the things that you can't change. You should learn from my example. You should let go of your grudge and try to do something more useful with your company."

"The past isn't something you can simply let go of," Gareth replied. "You can't have a future without a past, and how you deal with your past determines your future."

"Yeah," Eric nodded, "that's why I'm choosing to open my future by forgetting about the past. Let bygones be bygones. There's no good in getting caught up in the things that happened before. It's all part of growing up."

"Growing up?" Gareth growled. "You think by just ignoring the past and running away from your problems you're growing up? If anything, that shows how childish you are! Listen to yourself! You sound nothing like the person you were before, the duelist I admired!"

"That person is dead," Eric smiled awkwardly. "That person was holding me back from what really matters in life: happiness. By giving up all those childish beliefs I had, I found happiness in my life, a kind of happiness I never experienced before."

"Were you not happy when you dueled Whirlpool and showed him the error in his ways?" Gareth asked. "Were you not happy when you taught me the importance of following my personal beliefs? It's true that the kind of life you lived wasn't easy but at least you had true happiness. What you have right now, what you're trying to do, that's not real happiness. That's just you trying to convince yourself that you're happy when you're far from it. Don't run away, Eric. Let me help you."

"There's nothing I need help with," Eric grinned fakely. "The way I'm living right now, I've never felt more free, more alive, more hap-."

"Just shut up already!" Gareth barked angrily.

Eric, having been interrupted and silenced, merely bit his cheek and scoffed.

"You're no fun," he said as he began to walk away from Gareth.

At that moment, however, they heard a sharp cry from a nearby alley. As they moved there to see what had happened, they were met with the sight of a trio of schoolchildren bullying a young a child. It appeared that they were harassing the young boy, attempting to steal the cards he was holding in his arms to protect. As he curled into a ball, the bullies began kicking him mercilessly, prompting repeated screams of pain from child.

From witnessing this scene, Eric's expression suddenly changed to one of deep concern. Seeing this change, Gareth felt a glimmer of hope as he realized that this scene must have triggered Eric's childhood memories of being tormented by bullies, signifying that he still cared about what was right and wrong, that he hadn't truly abandoned his morals and beliefs.

However, this quickly changed, as Eric averted his eyes from the scene and began to walk away.

"What are you doing?" Gareth exclaimed. "That kid is being attacked! Don't you want to save him?"

"It's none of my concern," Eric said softly. "That kid has nothing to do with me. I don't need to get involved."

"Is that what you really think?" Gareth asked. "What about your sense of justice? What would your father have done?"

"My father is dead!" Eric shouted.

Gareth's eyes widened, shocked to hear what Eric had said. For a second, he felt guilty for having mentioned the root of his grief and making him feel worse than he already was. However, Gareth also knew that he had touched a nerve, a nerve that could break Eric out of this unbearable facade.

"Your father taught you to do the right thing even when no one else is doing it," Gareth chided. "You're father taught you how to be a good person! If you walk away now, you're betraying everything your father taught you! You're going to be on the same level as Grant Lilith!"

"Shut up!" Eric screamed as he covered his ears. "Shut up! Shut up!"

He knew this was where it would eventually go, but he couldn't take it anymore. He saw no other way. His body flooded with rage, Gareth roared as he threw a heavy punch at Eric's face.

Without the slightest bit of resistance, Eric fell to the ground like a ragdoll, devoid of spirit, devoid of energy, devoid of life. Even as he felt the stinging pain on his cheek and the hot blood dripping down his nostrils, he didn't make a single sound or motion.

"Just look at yourself!" Gareth yelled. "You have no life in you! The Eric I knew would've fought! He would've stood up for himself, stood up for what was right! You call what you're doing living? For all I can see, you're more dead than ever!"

For the next minute, nothing could be heard except the bully victim's sharp cries escaping from the alleyway they stood outside.

Then, slowly, Eric pushed himself up off the ground. The expression Gareth witnessed left him speechless, silencing his rage with the pain of truth, a sad harrowing truth which had finally escaped Eric's pitiful facade. Behind Eric's bruised and blood-stained face, tears streamed down his lifeless eyes which quaked with indescribable fear and grief. Yet, at the same time, he wore the same crooked smile, his cut and bloodied lips quivering as he tried to maintain his composure. This was the face of a broken man, trying desperately to find hope and meaning in his life after losing all sense of himself. This was the somber smile of a fallen angel.

Closing his eyes, Gareth tried to think about the most appropriate words for this situation, words that could save Eric from his suffering and give him the strength to continue living. Within Gareth's calculating mind, multiple scenarios flashed and dissipated, fleeting with his confidence in being able to do something. But after exhausting all his thoughts, Gareth still couldn't find an answer. Despite all his intellect, Gareth realized that there was nothing he could do. But at the same time, he had finally come to understand the hardships Eric had dealt with his whole life, not having the power to change anything but still trying his very best to do something. Eric's strength wasn't in what he could do, but in his willingness to do something.

Ultimately, Gareth didn't find an answer for Eric, but he found an answer for himself.

"You once told me this," Gareth said firmly. "I don't know what you've been through, but I do know that instead of fighting for what you truly believe, you've given into the rage and sadness in your heart."

The kneeling Eric made no response, only the trickling of his tears making soft drips as they fell on the ground.

"I don't know if this will do any good," Gareth said. "I don't know if there's anything I can do to make you feel any better, or make you see things the way I do. But like you once did for me, I'm going to show you what I believe in, because that's all I can do. After that, it's up to you to decide what you're going to with your life."

Marching towards the three bullies, Gareth kicked a stone on the ground, launching it at one of them and striking them in the temple. As the target made a pathetic squeal, the other two directed their attention towards Gareth.

"Scram," Gareth commanded.

"Who the hell are you?" asked a tall, chubby boy who appeared to be the leader. "What the hell do you want with us?"

"Leave the kid alone," Gareth said, walking even closer to them.

"I don't care who you are," the chubby boy smirked cockily, "but no one messes with me! Get him!"

The two other boys dashed at Gareth, who easily evaded their punches and pushed one into the other, causing them to collide with enough force to slam against the wall as a single mass. Weeping from their minor injuries, the two boys scurried on their feet and fled the alley. The third chubby boy stood where he was, furrowing his brow in agitation.

"Having others do the dirty work for you," Gareth mocked, "you're pathetic for a leader."

"I'll teach you to make a fool out of me!" he shouted as he pointed his duel disk at Gareth.

Realizing what he was about to do, Gareth instinctively pressed a button on his duel disk.

For the next few seconds, the chubby boy stood aghast, puzzled at why nothing happened despite him repeatedly pressing a button on his duel disk, which suddenly engaged into duel mode.

"What the hell did you do?" he asked furiously.

"I never expected the Dark Chasers to give DED's to kids as young as you," Gareth frowned.

"I asked what the hell you did!" the boy roared.

"I hacked your duel disk," Gareth explained. "I sent a wireless frequency that disabled your DED and linked our duel disks into duel mode. That means you have to duel me. If you win, your DED is reinstated."

"Why the hell do I have to duel you?" the chubby boy spat.

"Because if you move outside the 2 meter radius from where you're standing," Gareth explained, "you'll receive a high voltage shock that will render you unconscious for several days."

"And what happens if I lose?" he asked.

"You'll receive a high voltage shock that will render you unconscious for several days," Gareth said. "Do you feel convinced yet?"

"Yeah yeah," the boy rolled his eyes. "Just make it quick, will ya?"

Gareth grimaced at the fact that this child felt no fear whatsoever from his current predicament, as though he was absolutely confident he would win. On one hand, Gareth felt great disdain towards this arrogant opponent. On the other, he looked forward to bringing justice to such an undisciplined child.

"Before we begin," Gareth said, "I think it's customary for duelists to give their names to their opponent. My name is Gareth Basilius. And you are?"

"I don't need to give my name to a piece of shit like you," the boy laughed. "Hurry it up. You're wasting my time!"

Irritated, Gareth pulled a phone-like device from his pocket and attached it to a port on his duel disk, smirking as he looked at the screen seconds later.

"I see," he said. "So you're not a Dark Chaser, Willie. Your father is."

"How do you know-?" the boy shouted, gritting his teeth.

"I don't need to answer a stupid kid like you," Gareth replied mockingly.

Gareth looked from the corner of his eye at Eric, expecting some kind of response. An exclamation for Gareth to stop picking on a little kid. A lecture on treating people with respect. Anything that the old Eric would have said or done in this situation. But he didn't say anything. He just kneeled pathetically on the ground, looking down at the dark splotches where his tears had fallen. Furrowing his brows, Gareth turned back to his opponent.

"Can we just start the duel already?" Willie growled with agitation. "I can't wait to hit you with my DED."

"Fine," Gareth replied with an angry smirk, "I'll burn your attitude away with my flames of justice."

"Duel!" both shouted simultaneously. (4000/4000)

"I'll go first!" Willie shouted. "I summon Incendiablo in attack mode!"

The ground before Willie melted into orange magma, simmering roughly before a sinister fiend coated in pouring streams of lava erupted from the spot, laughing with a throaty cackle.

(Incendiablo: Level 4/FIRE/Fiend/ATK-1600 DEF-300/Effect: When this card is Normal Summoned, you can discard 1 card to inflict 1000 points of damage to your opponent)

"I activate Incendiablo's effect," Willie smirked. "I discard 1 card to deal you 1000 damage!"

Gathering a ball of lava in its hands, the fiery demon launched a deadly jet of orange sludge at Gareth, who wore a spiteful frown but was otherwise unfazed. (3000/4000)

"I set 2 cards," Willie continued. "Turn end."

"So you're running the Incendia archetype," Gareth noted. "Quick damage. No defensive cards. Says a lot about what kind of person you are."

"What the hell are you talking about?" Willie scoffed. "I just play the cards that will let me win. They don't say anything about me other than how strong I am."

"Or how weak you are," Gareth smiled mischievously. "My turn."

"On your Standby Phase," Willie interjected, "I activate my Trap card Incendiacid! I discard 1 card to deal you 1000 damage!"

Once more, Gareth was shot at by a stream of molten fluids, dissolving his Life Points. (2000/4000)

(Discard 1 card. Inflict 1000 points of damage to your opponent)

"There it is," Gareth said. "I can feel it, the rage in all of your attacks. It's like you're trying to retaliate against something."

"How annoying," Willie snarled. "Just shut up and make your move."

"Fine," Gareth grunted, annoyed by the kid's attitude. "I'll show you how a real Fire deck works. I Special Summon Rising Dragon from my hand!"

The ground in front of Gareth broke apart, unleashing a winged beast coated in brown scales.

(Rising Dragon: Level 5/EARTH/Dragon/ATK-2000 DEF-0/Effect-This card can be Special Summoned from your hand if you have no monsters on your side of the field. If you summon it this way, its ATK is cut in half)

"Next," Gareth said, " I summon Skilled Kindler."

A red portal opened beside Gareth, revealing a shirtless street performing juggling a pair of flaming sticks.

(Skilled Kindler: Level 3/FIRE/Spellcaster/ATK-1500 DEF-200/Effect-If you Normal Summon this card, you can Special Summon a level 3 or lower Beast type monster from your hand or deck. If you do this, both monsters are destroyed at the End Phase)

"Skilled Kindler lets me summon a Level 3 or lower Beast," Gareth explained. "I summon Cinder Runner in attack mode."

The street performer twirled his flaming sticks in a flashy pattern, creating a ring of fire in the air. Suddenly, a fiery hamster leapt from the ring, dropping softly on the ground with a light tap before scurrying around in a playful manner.

(Cinder Runner: Level 1/FIRE/Beast/ATK-0 DEF-0/Effect-This card can attack your opponent directly. Each time this monster attacks, it gains 500 ATK. If it deals 0 damage to your opponent, they lose 1000 Life Points)

"Next," Gareth continued, "I activate my Spell card Prodigy of Fire."

A young child emerged from a conflagration which suddenly erupted midair, holding a ball of flames in its hand.

(This card is treated as a monster and a trap (Warrior type/Fire/Level 4/ATK 1700/DEF 1200). If this card is destroyed as a monster, deal 500 points of damage to your opponent. If this card is destroyed as a Spell, discard 1 card from your opponent's hand)

"Prodigy of Fire is treated as a monster," Gareth explained. "Now, Prodigy of Fire attacks Incendiablo!"

Gareth's monster threw a fireball at his opponent, brutally annihilating the fire demon and prompting a snarl from its owner. (2000/3900)

"Next," Gareth said, "Cinder Runner attacks you directly, dealing you 1000 damage by its effect and gaining 500 ATK!"

Scurrying swiftly, Gareth's hamster dashed through Willie, searing him with a blazing trail of flames. (2000/2900)

"Rising Dragon attacks you directly!" Gareth commanded.

Howling loudly, the umber dragon charged at its opponent, slashing him with a swipe of its claws and causing him to yelp in response. (2000/1900)

"I'm not done yet!" Gareth smiled. "Skilled Kindler, direct attack!"

Gareth's fourth and final monster spun in the air, making a swinging motion with his flaming sticks and launching a curving wave of fire at Willie, who grunted in agitation. (2000/400)

"It's over," Gareth grinned. "I activate my Spell card Raging Fire, dealing you 500 damage for each monster in your Graveyard."

"Don't you fucking underestimate me!" Willie shouted angrily. "I activate my Trap card Indendialysis! When I'm about to lose, I negate all damage I take and destroy all the cards on your field!"

(Deal 500 points of damage to your opponent for each monster in their Graveyard)

(If your Life Points are about to reach 0 while you have an "Incendia" monster in your Graveyard, negate all damage you would receive until the End Phase of this turn and destroy all cards on your opponent's side of the field)

Gareth gasped in shock as flaming meteors rained on his field, completely obliterating every last monster and laying everything to waste. Completely taken aback by this desperate move, Gareth gritted his teeth as he stared at his barren field and the last two remaining cards in his hand.

"Incendialysis," Gareth frowned. "Most Incendia players don't use it because they prefer to win quickly and don't use any defensive Traps, much less ones that require you to be on the brink of defeat."

"First you try to tell me how to live my life," Willie growled, "and now to you try to tell me how to play my deck? Fuck off!"

"I set 1 card," Gareth declared, ignoring Willie's outburst. "Turn end."

"I'm going to make you pay for everything you've done to me," Willie said with glaring eyes of fury and disdain. "I'm going to make you suffer."

Gareth furrowed his brow as he watched the boy he was facing. It was as though he had changed from a power-hungry bully to a hateful and vengeful victim. Somehow, it seemed like in the face of someone else's power, he became small and powerless, desperate to defend himself and spiteful towards the things he had no control over. Something about him was almost pitiable.

"I activate my Continuous Spell card Incendiary!" Willie declared. "I can remove from play 1 Incendia monster from my Graveyard to deal you 500 damage! I remove Incendiablo to deal you 500 damage!"

Gareth flinched as he was struck by a massive burst of molten lava, affected not by the holographic special effects but by the intensity of the boy's hatred, which seemed to burn fervently in his attack. (1500/400)

(Remove from play 1 "Incendia" monster from your Graveyard. Inflict 500 points of damage to your opponent)

"I'll do it again," Willie said with a sadistic smile. "I remove another Incendia monster I discarded earlier to deal you another 500 damage!"

Once again, Gareth was struck by a powerful blast of lava. And once again, Gareth flinched, overpowered by the fierceness of Willie's anger, laced with a nasty feeling of enjoyment from his position of power. (1000/400)

"Again!" Willie laughed. "I'll do it again to deal you another 500 damage! Burn, you motherfucker!"

For the last time, Gareth felt the immense heat of Willie's emotions, burning into his skin with the murderous intent of a killer and the bloodlust of the devil. (500/400)

"I summon Incendiablo in attack mode," Willie chuckled wickedly, licking his lips.

A bead of sweat streamed down Gareth's face as he stared at the molten demon which stood before him, the embodiment of the hatred and evil within Willie's heart.

"Die!" Willie roared. "Incendiablo, kill him with a direct attack!"

He felt a great deal of sympathy for the child. But that wasn't enough.

"I'm afraid it's not over yet," Gareth countered. "I activate my Trap card Flame Blast! I remove from play Skilled Kindler and Cinder Runner to lower your monster's ATK by 1400!"

As Incendiablo launched a blast of lava at Gareth, a torrent of wild flames intercepted the attack, reducing the force of the attack to spare him from defeat. (300/400)

(Remove any number of FIRE attribute monsters from your Graveyard to decrease your opponent's monster's ATK by 700 for each)

"You lived for now," Willie smiled. "But that just means I get another turn to give you hell."

"You know," Gareth said softly, "I think I understand what you're going through."

"What do you mean?" Willie growled, his smile disappearing.

"It's rarely the case that people are born bullies," Gareth explained. "More often, they're made by other bullies. Beating people up and threatening them with a DED. Like father like son, right?"

"You trying to make fun of me?" the boy snarled. "I'll kick your ass so hard in this duel you'll never open your shitty mouth again. And then, I'm going to hit you with my DED! I'll hit you so many times that you'll cry and scream and beg! But I won't stop. I'll keep hitting you and torturing you until you're dead! I'll give you a hell a thousand times worse than what you put me through!"

"You mean your father's DED?" Gareth said with a frown. "The only reason you're doing all this is because you had an abusive Dark Chaser as a father. How often is he home? How often does he even talk to you? And then, how often does he beat you? With that kind of childhood, it's not surprising that you're trying to get back at a world you think was unfair to you. That's why you go around harassing people. Because you think that gives you the sense of power you've been deprived of at home."

"Shut up!" Willie shouted with shaking fists. "You don't you anything about me!"

"I know you're weak," Gareth said. "I know that instead of trying to do something about your situation, instead of dealing with it like a man, you're running away from your problems."

"I said shut up!" Willie screamed, his face twisting with rage.

"Even the way you duel shows it," Gareth continued. "Trying to torture your opponent with damage-dealing cards. Destroying their monsters with desperate moves instead of fighting them head-on. Everything about you says that you're a spineless wimp trying to get back at the world for something that you could've avoided by manning up and standing up for yourself."

"What part of 'shut up' don't you understand?" Willie screeched in fury.

Ignoring the boy, Gareth turned to look at Eric, still kneeling on the ground and wallowing in grief. Part of what he told Willie was actually addressed to Eric. Indeed, he could tell that Eric was experiencing great suffering from whatever he went through, but like Willie, it was no excuse to react with self-pity and anger. He wanted them to understand that the way people overcame their problems and moved on was by dealing with them directly, not by trying to avoid them. That was the message he wanted to get across to both of them, but to his dismay, it seemed like it got through to neither.

It was this part of himself that he hated. No matter how strong he was, no matter how many opponents he defeated, Gareth was still unable to save anyone. He always knew that power was needed to protect those he cared about, but even with all his power, it seemed like nothing he did succeeded at comforting those around him. Not in the past, not in the present, and, as he feared, not in the future. It was at this moment that Gareth began questioning the point of it all. The duel. The things he did to try to encourage Eric. He wondered if he should just give up.

Then, a smile formed on his face. The answer he came up with was so simple and so ridiculous that he blamed himself for not realizing it. The thoughts he had just entertained were those that he had just chided Willie for having. Hopelessness and despair were things that people could easily fall victim to. That was why Gareth knew it was important to be strong, so that he could set an example for those who weren't. So what if he couldn't save anyone? So what if he couldn't give people hope? What was important was that he himself didn't give up. If he fell, he couldn't expect anyone else to stand strong. There would be no hope for anyone. But if he stood tall, even if he was the only one, he would always be a beacon of hope and justice. This was the sentiment that had carried Gareth to pursue his goal of defeating the Dark Chasers. This was what allowed him to carry on with his life. This was what allowed him to regain hope in Eric, and even Willie.

"My turn," Gareth declared. "I summon Red Tinker."

A small, red fiend emerged on the field with a burst of flames, chuckling with a high-pitched squeal.

(Red Tinker: Level 2/FIRE/Fiend/ATK-1000 DEF-1300/Effect-If a card you control is destroyed, look at the top card of your opponent's deck. If it is a monster, deal 500 points of damage to your opponent)

"Then," Gareth continued," I Special Summon Blazing Sky!"

The space surrounding the two duelists erupted in flames, coloring everything around them a bright orange.

(Blazing Sky: Level 4/FIRE/Pyro/ATK-0 DEF-0/Effect- This card can be Special Summoned if there is a Fire attribute monster on your side of the field. As long as this card remains on the field, all Fire attribute monsters gain 500 ATK and DEF)

"I'm tuning level 2 Red Tinker with level 4 Blazing Sky," Gareth announced. "A burning flame of the soul smolders brightly! Kindle the fire of hope and justice! Synchro Summon! Roar proudly, Leoferno!"

Shivering violently as it set itself aflame, Red Tinker launched itself into the sky, merging with the sea of vermillion to form a gargantuan spiral of raging fire. After several seconds of grumbling and churning, the flames all gathered in one central spot and unleashed a fiery pillar down to the earth, crashing heavily against the ground. In one forceful blow, the flames were brushed aside to reveal Gareth's faithful lion with a fiery mane and tail, roaring with great reverberation to announce its arrival.

(Leoferno: Level 6/FIRE/Beast/ATK-2400 DEF-1800/Effect- If this card destroys a monster whose original ATK is greater than that of this card, deal 1000 points of damage to your opponent. When this card is destroyed in battle, you can deal 800 points of damage to your opponent or Special Summon a Fire attribute Tuner monster from your Graveyard)

"Your flames are fueled by nothing but anger," Gareth said, glaring at his opponent. "No matter how much you try to burn away your problems, your flames will never be strong enough because they have no substance. Let me show you the true power of fire, my burning flames of justice! Leoferno, attack Incendiablo with Infernal Impact!"

At that moment, however, a chill went down Gareth's spine. He felt something wrong, something dangerous and sinister. An aura of sheer bloodlust filled the air. It appeared that his opponent felt it too, as Willie fell backwards, shivering at the sight of Gareth's monster. Gareth shifted his gaze to his fiery lion, whose flames seemed to burn brighter than usual and whose eyes seemed to give off a powerful sense of ferality. Never before had he been in the presence of such a monster.

Reason played no part in what Gareth did next. Right when Leoferno jumped off of its hind legs, Gareth sprinted towards Willie, forcing all the power he could muster in his calves and quads. In a flash of red, Gareth scooped the boy in his arms and kicked off the back wall of the alleyway, performing a backflip to narrowly avoid his ferocious monster's attack. Even before he landed, the sheer force of Leoferno's impact against the wall knocked Gareth back, causing him to crash roughly against the cement as both he and Willie rolled a couple times before they came to a full stop.

As Gareth stood back up, groaning from the pain of multiple bruises around his body, he stared in utter disbelief at the beast which stood before him, as well as the damage it had caused. The lion locked eyes with Gareth as it slowly faded, appearing to threaten him with a high-and-mighty smirk. Gareth was completely speechless as he stood still for about a minute, not even blinking until his monster had fully vanished. His silence was only interrupted by a gasp of shock from seeing what Leoferno had reduced the alley wall to: a molten pile of burning rocks, seared far beyond repair by scorching, dancing flames.

His face ashen from the shock of what he had just witnessed, Gareth turned to look at Willie, who had been knocked unconscious by the force of Leoferno's attack. Afterwards, he shifted his gaze to Eric, who had finally stood up after having been on his knees the entire time, his expression still downcast and lifeless.

"Eric," Gareth said softly, trying to think of something to say, "I-."

"Grant was right," Eric mumbled. "In the end, strength is the only thing that matters. If that's what it means to live in this world, then I don't want any part of it."

Without another word, Eric walked away from the scene, leaving Gareth alone. Gareth's knees gave as he fell backwards, leaning against the alley wall with a multitude of thoughts racing through his mind. For the next few minutes, he just sat there thinking, trying to rationalize everything that had just occurred.

Thinking.

Pondering.

In utter silence.


	13. Chapter 13

Yu-Gi-Oh! D.T.

Chapter 13: Majestic Roar, Rise of the First Guardian

January 14, 3051 4:28 PM

The blonde keeper of the temple sat in her sleeping chamber, gently stroking her long, flowing hair in an attempt to calm herself. She had just been told of important news by one of the guests in the temple, an unforeseen development in the series of events she had predicted. She had only felt the presence of one new guardian, but as it turned out, there was another one.

Taking a deep sigh, she pushed back her hair and stood up, walking out of her room. A week ago, she had decided that she would guide a new guardian down the path of light instead of darkness, but even now, she still hadn't taken a step out of the temple. She had come up with several reasons: the guardian needed to come to terms with their feelings alone before she could approach them, the guardian was not ready to be told the truth just yet. But in the end, she understood that these were just excuses. The truth was that she was afraid, afraid of going outside for the first time in over a decade.

Even as she paced back and forth along the hallway next to her bedroom, the priest's heart raced with anxiety and frustration towards the terrifying prospect of actually taking initiative, as well as the disaster that could unfold if she didn't do her job properly. Sighing once more, she was reminded of how much she hated herself for being so weak. As a priest, she didn't have to fight herself. However, knowing that the guardians risked their lives to protect the earth, she felt that it would be unfair if she didn't try her best to support them. And yet, here she was, moping around in the temple instead of doing what she knew she should be doing.

All of her thoughts pointed to one thing: she was a failure.

Sighing a third time, she returned to her room and collapsed on her bed, exhausted from thinking and tired of the aching in her heart.

January 14, 3051 6:12 PM

Sitting cross-legged on his leather swivel chair in his office and staring blankly out the window, Gareth felt the nervous pulses of his heart and cold streams of blood coursing through his body, its temperature unusually low from having not budged an inch for hours in his inefficacious attempt to rationalize the events which had taken place almost two weeks prior. Though most of the shock had left him, Gareth was still heavily affected by the lurid occurrence he bore witness to, a supernatural event which days of research had failed to explain.

If there was one thing Gareth detested more than anything else, it was not understanding something. Any time there was a concept or principle he didn't fully comprehend, he found it painstakingly difficult to proceed without spending days or even weeks learning about it, compulsively studying it and analyzing it until he was certain he had committed it to memory and understood it completely. While part of this particular character trait stemmed from his erudite pride, the primary source of Gareth's obsession with knowledge was his belief that all the problems in the world were caused by a lack of understanding. Every crisis, every tragedy. They were the inevitable result of the ignorance of irresponsible human beings who had acted poorly in response to events they did not fully comprehend. Gareth, with his view of himself as an individual who could not afford to make such careless mistakes, did everything in his power to avoid such problems by fully understanding a situation, analyzing all his options, and making the optimal move.

Unfortunately for him, these restrictive prerequisites prevented him from taking effective action in a timely manner, an lamentable quirk that irritated the members of his company's board, especially his chief of finance. Even worse was when he remained silent about his concerns, keeping his company in the dark as they waited impatiently for him to make a decision. But in his current predicament, Gareth simply couldn't inform them about what he had witnessed, as he deemed the likelihood that they would believe him to be incredibly low. But there was another reason. Ever since his father's company was usurped, he had distrusted the motives of everyone around him. One insanity claim was all it would take to weaken his hold over D.T. Corporation and a testimony of his card taking physical form and inflicting real damage would do nicely to fit that criterion.

It was thus that he decided he could not trust anyone with this information, except perhaps the only other individual who had seen it. Even though Gareth didn't know why or how his monster had come to life, he now understood that the Dark Chaser's corpse on the highway, brutally decimated beyond human ability in his duel against Eric, was most likely the result of a similar phenomenon. More than ever, he wanted to talk to Eric, to confide in him, to find comfort in someone equally scarred and traumatized by what he had seen and done.

But he knew it wouldn't happen. Eric, the fragile person that he was, was in no condition to talk to anyone at the moment. Having seen the nasty side of the world, Gareth was spared his sanity and reason. However, Eric had no such experience. Without ever having seen death and suffering, Eric had been responsible for the murder of a human being. Unintentional as it may have been, the amount of shock he must have experienced, in addition to the grief of losing his most beloved card and being conflicted about his belief in his father's teachings, was profound enough to corner him into a depressive state of confusion and anguish.

Between failing to understand a dangerous supernatural occurrence, managing a company whose members he was constantly suspicious of, fighting a war against an evil organization, and worrying about his best friend all on his own, Gareth was, in a word, stressed. Feeling a sharp sting as he closed his eyes, he was reminded that he hadn't slept very much in the last few days. His body felt stiff from sitting all day and his throat parched from having never left his office for hours. Lowering his head to repress a yawn, Gareth stood up and walked to the couch against the side wall of the room, deciding that he couldn't think properly in his current condition and needed some rest.

Laying on his side, Gareth continued to work his mental gears, ceaselessly trying to think of possibilities and solutions to the plethora of problems he was dealing with. It wasn't until minutes later that he finally exhausted himself and fell asleep.

January 14, 3051 11:49 PM

Screaming hoarsely as an excruciating shock ran through his body, Gareth fell off the couch on which he was sleeping, crawling and reaching desperately for his duel disk which rested on his desk five meters away. After a few moments of staggering, Gareth finally managed to press the button which dispelled all DED's around his vicinity. However, to his complete and utter surprise, this had absolutely no effect as he continued to be ravaged by the electrical current coursing through his body.

What the hell is going on? Gareth thought to himself.

Since his youth, he had always exhibited high duel energy readings, so he was confident he wouldn't die from a DED. But from the power and duration of this attack, he knew that this was no ordinary DED. Even worse was the fact that the shot had struck him close to the heart. If it weren't for his internal duel energy resisting and delaying the flow of the DED current, he would've long been dead. Despite the pain he was experiencing, Gareth was alive for now, but he didn't have long before the DED overcame his duel energy. If he didn't do something soon, his life would be forfeit. Gareth frantically scanned his room, looking for something, anything, that could save him.

On the verge of death, with his flesh being seared by the agonizing flow of electricity through his body, Gareth groaned in pain as his mind raced with information, gathering all the knowledge that could aid in his survival.

DED's weaponize duel energy by discharging it in the form of electricity.

Electricity is the flow of negative-charged electrons to the most positive destination, in other words, the ground.

Electricity travels the path of least resistance.

Contact with conductors such as metal facilitates the transfer of electrons.

Collecting and processing these facts with all his mental capacity in a matter of seconds, Gareth hopped to his feet, dashed towards the opposite wall of the room, and lunged at the steel barbell he kept for personal exercise. Expertly, he placed both hands on the bar and lifted his entire body up, orienting himself in a horizontal position like a gymnast would on a pommel such that the electrical current was redirected down his arms, through the barbell, and into the ground, avoiding his heart, brain, and other vital organs. Only when the sharp sting of electricity left his fingertips did Gareth finally let go and collapse on the floor, panting from fear, adrenaline, and exhaustion.

His body and mind both numb, Gareth leaned his back against the wall, trying to catch his breath. It was then that his vision began to blur and an acute pain shot through his brain, reminding him that he had just been abruptly awoken from his sleep. Tired, breathless, writhing in pain, sleep-deprived, and frightened by his near-death experience, Gareth wanted nothing more than to pass out. And perhaps he would have done so too, had it not been for two factors.

The first was the fact that he had previous experience with middle-of-the-night assassination attempts, so the ability to act under uncomfortable conditions was something that had been ingrained in his body, even if his mind had long forgotten it.

The second was the shrieking alarm that echoed throughout the entire building after the sensors reacted to the shattering of the window. Stirring and chattering noises indicated that the members of his company who had worked the night shift or resided within the building had begun to initiate their security protocols.

Gareth had designed these protocols in case the building was ever breached or attacked, but he never expected the Dark Chasers to be able to use a DED from such a long distance. If a sniper was at work, then everyone in the building was in danger. As CEO and leader, Gareth felt the obligatio to take responsibility for his mistaken assumption by protecting his subordinates and dealing with the assassin himself. Taking a deep breath, Gareth slowly walked out of his office, maneuvering so that he wouldn't be visible from the window the sniper shot through.

"What the hell is going on?" Dylan Hewitt asked impatiently as he met Gareth outside his office.

"Tell everyone to go to the basement," Gareth commanded, walking down the hall in long strides.

"Why?" Hewitt demanded. "What's happening? Give me the details."

"Sorry," Gareth said, stepping into an elevator. "This is an emergency. Get everyone to safety. I'll take care of this myself."

As the elevator doors closed, the chief of finance clenched his fists and furrowed his brows.

Damn you, he thought bitterly.

Reluctantly, Hewitt sped across the hallway, informing the employees he passed by of Gareth's instructions and asking them to relay the message.

January 15, 3051 12:27 AM

A bearded, brown-haired man in his mid-fifties sat at the roof of the tallest building in Muto City, looking into the scope of a DED sniper rifle, the latest invention developed by his organization. His breath was steady, his body calm and relaxed. He was in the perfect state of mind for the job he was undertaking: the assassination of Gareth Basilius, the leader of the most threatening anti-Dark Chaser organization. He had done everything correctly: he stalked his prey, he waited for his greatest moment of vulnerability, and most importantly, he made his mark. Yet, by some turn of events, Gareth Basilius was still alive.

He had determined that the cause of his failure was the incompetence of these new duel energy weapons being used by the Dark Chasers, overgrown tasers whose power depended on how good a person was at playing a silly card game. This man hated everything about the combat methods employed in this new era of technology, from the weapons used to the kinds of people chosen to use them. He missed the old days, when a bullet was a bullet, when a gun was a gun, when the only skills needed to kill someone were good aim and the guts to pull a trigger. No duel energy, no Duel Monster cards, no bullshit.

But now, he had no choice. He had to keep shooting until his target dropped dead, and from the size of his prey, he estimated that it would take quite a while.

As he adjusted the zoom settings on his scope, he noticed a flash of red pass by from behind the D.T. Corporation building. Raising his head, the man gave a satisfied smirk.

"Trying to run, are we?" he said to himself aloud.

Picking up his weapon, the brown-haired man ran across the rooftops, calculating the path of Gareth Basilius' duel runner based on its speed and direction while trying to find the best angle to shoot from at various vantage points. Back when he was in the police force, he was lauded as one of the best marksmen for his intuitive prowess at relocating and setting up quickly while still accurately hitting his targets. He enjoyed the ego-boost from his colleagues' compliments, but really, he attained the utmost joy from successfully completing his missions. There was something he just loved about doing the thing he was best at, something that made him feel like he was following through with his life's calling and fulfilling his purpose, even if that purpose was taking the lives of others. That was why he was so furious with the sudden ban on firearms which followed the integration of non-lethal Duel Monsters technology in society, an epidemic which even found its way into the work he loved so much, a curse which took away what was dearest to him. That was also why he joined the Dark Chasers, an organization which promised him the same thrill he felt thirty years ago.

Admittedly, it didn't feel the same, but it was good enough. Even though he wasn't using his weapon of choice, even if a DED didn't guarantee death on impact, the euphoria he felt right before he pulled the trigger was still there. The same excitement from being so confident in his skills, from knowing that the fate of a human being lay in his hands, was enough to give him all the pleasure he could ever ask for, to give his life meaning.

This was the high he was now experiencing, as he took perfect aim with his target in sight, his finger ready to pull the trigger as soon as Gareth Basilius fell in line with his crosshair. His heart beat faster as he felt his blood churning through his veins, filling with the sweet nectar of joy and success. And then, when the moment came, he pulled back his finger and his lips curled upwards to form a twisted smile.

But to his shock and dismay, he felt no recoil and nothing came out of his barrel.

Rage fumed throughout his body as he realized that he had been deprived of his moment of glory, his moment of climax. Gritting his teeth, he swirled around to meet the gaze of a pair of dark, piercing eyes from ten meters away.

"How?" he muttered bitterly.

"That duel runner you've been chasing around was just a decoy to draw your attention away from me," Gareth explained. "At the angle that your first DED was shot from, I deduced where you were."

"That doesn't explain how you managed to find my new position," the brown-haired man grumbled. "You shouldn't have been able to know where I went."

"Finding that out was even easier," Gareth said. "If you wanted to get the best view of the city and still keep vision of the D.T. Corporation building, this tower offers the ideal angles."

"And I suppose you think you're smart," the man frowned. "You've managed to survive my shot. You've managed to sneak up on me. But now, you've dug yourself into your own grave."

"I don't think so," Gareth replied, raising his activated duel disk. "I'm a strong duelist, you know?"

"That's what I'm talking about," the man said, pulling out his own standard issue duel disk. "I'm not a duelist."

"I suppose not," Gareth agreed, checking his handheld identification device. "You're a killer, isn't that right, Lieutenant Michael Pollard? Or should I call you Dark Chaser Captain Bloodstone?"

"I don't care what you call me," he replied dryly. "You're going to die either way."

"Duel!" both shouted simultaneously.

"I'll go first," Gareth asserted. "I summon the Tuner monster Fire Spirit of the Sword."

A scarlet portal formed beside Gareth, revealing a silver broadsword surrounded by a serpentine spirit of flames.

(Fire Spirit of the Sword: Level 3/FIRE/Pyro/ATK-0 DEF-2000/Effect: Once per turn, you can equip or unequip this card to a Warrior type monster. This card can be used for a Synchro Summon while equipped to a monster. (A monster can only by equipped with 1 Union Monster at a time. If the equipped monster would be destroyed, destroy this card instead.))

"Next," he continued, "I activate my Spell card Prodigy of Fire, which summons itself as a monster."

Another portal formed, unveiling the infant spellcaster wielding a pair of swirling fireballs in his hands.

(This card is treated as a monster and a trap (Warrior type/Fire/Level 4/ATK 1700/DEF 1200). If this card is destroyed as a monster, deal 500 points of damage to your opponent. If this card is destroyed as a Spell, discard 1 card from your opponent's hand)

"I'm tuning level 3 Fire Spirit of the Sword with level 4 Prodigy of Fire," Gareth declared. "A burning flame of the soul smolders brightly! Kindle the fire of destruction! Synchro Summon! Burst forth, Houka Lizard!"

Forming into separate spheres of fire, Gareth's monsters collided forcefully against one another, condensing and melting into a gargantuan mass of lava, which hardened to create a sculpture with the likeness of a prehistoric dinosaur. Suddenly, without warning, a trail of flames erupted from the lizard's spine, shattering the rock to reveal a ferocious beast whose metal scales shined with a pale luster.

(Houka Lizard: Level 7/FIRE/Reptile/ATK-2600 DEF-1500/Effect-You can pay 1000 Life Points to destroy one card on the field)

"I set 3 cards," Gareth said. "Turn end."

"Tame," his opponent mumbled.

"What?" Gareth asked.

"Your move," the brown-haired man growled, "it's too tame."

"Try me," Gareth said, furrowing his brow.

"Summoning a flashy monster," the man grunted. "Setting a couple of traps to respond to anything I might do. Do you think we're playing a game?"

"I'm not following," Gareth replied.

"I'm saying you're treating this like a game," he said. "Do you expect me to summon a stronger monster and attack you? Or maybe you think I'm going to play defensively, baiting you to attack me before springing a trap on you? Please, I'm not so naive as to treat this like some game. This is life or death. If you win, I'll be done in by your anti-DED machine and completely at your mercy. If I win, I'm going to hit you with my DED until you're a burning carcass. This isn't a game, this is war. I'm not going to play fair, I'm not going to play by your stupid rules."

"Again," Gareth said through gritted teeth, "I'm not following."

"Then I'll educate you," the Dark Chaser smirked. "I summon Terran Geodysseus."

The ground before the brown-haired man collapsed, revealing a muscular human warrior clad in traditional Greek armor made of rock.

(Terran Geodysseus: Level 4/EARTH/Warrior/ATK-1500 DEF-400/Effect: When a Spell card is activated, decrease the ATK of 1 monster on the field by 500. If the targeted monster has 0 ATK, destroy it and inflict damage to your opponent equal to that monster's original ATK)

"A Terran deck," Gareth noted. "Nothing I can't handle."

"No," the man refuted. "This is the only monster in my deck."

"What?" Gareth exclaimed. "How can you be so confident if your chances of drawing that monster are so low? Don't tell me you stacked your cards before the game? That's impossible! Your duel disk should have automatically shuffled your deck at the beginning of the duel!"

"Like I said," the Dark Chaser said, "I'm not going to play by the rules of some ridiculous card game. Duel disks shuffle cards by repeatedly gripping a random section of the deck, pulling it out, and stacking it on top of the deck. I trimmed all of my cards except my desired starting hand so it will always end up at the top of my deck."

"You bastard," Gareth cursed. "You're nothing but a cheat."

"Call me whatever you want," he grinned maliciously. "In the end, the winner isn't the person who plays by the rules; it's the person who remains standing after everything is over."

"We'll see about that," Gareth growled.

"I activate the Spell card Magic Shuffle," the man said, continuing with his turn. "I shuffle my deck and reveal the top card. If it's a Spell card, I can add it to my hand. But of course, since the rest of my deck is composed of Spell cards, there's no way it won't be."

(Shuffle your deck and reveal the top card. If it is a Spell card, add it to your hand. Otherwise, shuffle it back into your deck)

"Damn you," Gareth said through gritted teeth.

"That's not all," the Dark Chaser smiled. "Since I activated a Spell card, your monster loses 500 ATK."

Swinging its sword, the rock-covered warrior slung a boulder at the metal lizard, causing it to howl in pain and huff in fatigue. (Houka Lizard: 2100 ATK)

"Now," the brown-haired man said, "I activate another copy of Magic Shuffle, lowering your monster's ATK even further!"

Once more, a rock was thrown at Gareth's monster, which screeched and fell to one knee. (Houka Lizard: 1600 ATK)

"And here's my last one," he grinned.

For the third time, a rock flew at Houka Lizard, exploding upon impact and prompting a pitiful shriek and Gareth's annoyance. (Houka Lizard: 1100 ATK)

"If you think it's over," the Dark Chaser smirked, "then think again. I activate my Spell card Fortune Draw. I declare a card type and reveal the top card of my deck. If I'm right, I get to add it to my hand. Of course, I'll declare Spell type, and of course, I'll be right."

(Declare 1 card type. Reveal the top card of your deck. If the revealed card is the card type you declared, add it to your hand)

Gareth watched in pure disdain as his opponent drew a card and motioned for his monster to throw another rock, shattering the plate of metal it struck and inciting a terrible scream. (Houka Lizard: 600 ATK)

"I don't think I need to tell you what's coming next," he smiled cruelly. "I activate another two copies of Fortune Draw."

With one blast of rock followed immediately by another, Gareth's monster took a fatal blow to the chest, falling backwards and collapsing on the ground, so weak that it was unable to stand back up. (Houka Lizard: 0 ATK)

"Now it's over," the man smirked. "I activate my Spell card Boom and Bust. I look at the top 2 cards of my deck, choose 1 to add to my hand, and choose 1 to send to the Graveyard. Now, Terran Geodysseus' effect activates, destroying Houka Lizard and dealing you 2600 damage!"

(Reveal the top 2 cards of your deck. Add 1 to your hand and send the other to your Graveyard)

"Don't get your hopes up," Gareth growled. "I activate my Trap card Extreme Combustion! Houka Lizard gains 1000 ATK!"

As the Dark Chaser's monster launched yet another rock at the severely injured reptile, Houka Lizard erupted in flames, melting the rock before it made contact. (Houka Lizard: 500 ATK)

(All of your monsters gain 1000 ATK. At the End Phase, their ATK become 1000 less than the original ATK. During your next End Phase, they regain their original ATK)

"You're only stalling," his opponent said with an unimpressed expression. "I activate two more copies of Boom and Bust."

Unable to respond any further, Gareth watched in helpless dismay as two boulders smashed into Houka Lizard, who gave a harrowing scream before exploding into jagged chunks of metal, splashing onto Gareth like shrapnel and shredding away at his Life Points. (1400/4000)

"It's over," the brown-haired man proclaimed. "Terran Geodysseus, attack directly and send him to Hell."

"Don't underestimate me too much," Gareth snarled. "I activate my Trap card Flame Blast! I remove from play Fire Spirit of the Sword and Houka Lizard to lower your monster's ATK by 1400!"

"I said it's over," the man countered. "I activate the Quick Spell Terran Barrier. My monster can't be targeted by any Spells or Traps this turn."

"Damn it!" Gareth shouted, furiously despairing over his dire situation.

As two balls of fire were launched at Bloodstone's monster, a protective layer of earth rose from the ground, shielding the warrior and allowing it to slash a defenseless Gareth in the chest. Upon landing on the ground, a humongous cloud of smoke covered Gareth's field, obscuring everything before the Dark Chaser.

Sneering satisfactorily, the Dark Chaser began to walk away when he noticed a shining ring at his feet, indicating that the boundaries to which he was confined by the anti-DED device were still in place. Gritting his teeth, he turned back to see his opponent behind a dissipating layer of dust, standing frustrated but still erect opposite him. (400/4000)

"What the hell?" the Dark Chaser groaned. "How did you live?"

"I guess you don't know your own card effects," Gareth smirked. "Terran Geodysseus's effect is a mandatory effect that triggers when you play a Spell card. Since I no longer had a target on my field, it targeted itself by default and lowered its own ATK."

"Son of a-," the brown-haired man cursed in agitation.

"Maybe treating this like a game is more important than you thought," Gareth jeered.

"My ass," he retorted. "You've got no chance. I activate the Continuous Spell Terran Wall. Terran monsters can't be destroyed by battle."

"But since you activated a Spell," Gareth said, "your monster loses another 500 ATK."

Grimacing slightly, Bloodstone watched as his muscular warrior clutched its shoulder in pain. (Terran Geodysseus: 500 ATK)

(While this card is face-up, Terran monsters you control cannot be destroyed by battle)

"Doesn't matter," he said flatly. "You can't destroy my monster and you can't possibly deal me enough damage to finish me in one turn."

"Oh but I can," Gareth grinned, drawing a card. "You're going to regret not finishing me. I summon Skilled Kindler!"

A small area in the ground melted into a pool of lava, invoking the emergence of a bare-chested street performer swinging a pair of flaming sticks.

(Skilled Kindler: Level 3/FIRE/Spellcaster/ATK-1500 DEF-200/Effect-If you Normal Summon this card, you can Special Summon a level 3 or lower Beast type monster from your hand or deck. If you do this, both monsters are destroyed at the End Phase)

"Skilled Kindler lets me summon a level 3 Beast from my deck," Gareth explained. "I summon the Tuner monster Burning Chimera!"

The kindler used its sticks to create a ring of fire, out of which leapt a hideous beast with the head of a lion, a goat's head protruding from its back, and a snake as a tail. As it landed on its legs, the monster's fur ignited, burning with a glowing orange flame.

(Burning Chimera: Level 3/FIRE/Beast/ATK-1300 DEF-1000/Effect-If this card is used for the Synchro Summon of a Fire attribute Beast type Synchro Monster, increase the ATK of that monster by its level x300 until the End Phase)

"I'm tuning level 3 Burning Chimera with level 3 Skilled Kindler," Gareth declared. "A burning flame of the soul smolders brightly! Kindle the fire of hope and justice! Synchro Summon! Roar proudly, Leoferno!"

Engulfing itself with flames, the street performer transformed into a jet of orange fire, swirling around Burning Chimera and enshrouding it in a dancing coat of embers. Churning violently, the mass of fire which stood before Gareth began to mold and shape itself into the figure of a quadrupedal animal. Lowering its head before swinging it upwards, the beast unleashed a powerful howl into the air, brushing away all the flames that surrounded it to reveal the mighty lion of fire.

(Leoferno: Level 6/FIRE/Beast/ATK-2400 DEF-1800/Effect- If this card destroys a monster whose original ATK is greater than that of this card, deal 1000 points of damage to your opponent. When this card is destroyed in battle, you can deal 800 points of damage to your opponent or Special Summon a Fire attribute Tuner monster from your Graveyard)

"Like I said," the Dark Chaser scoffed, "you can't finish me with that monster."

"Burning Chimera's effect activates," Gareth said, ignoring him. "When it's used to Synchro Summon a Fire attribute Beast type monster, that monster gains ATK equal to three hundred times its level. Leoferno is level 6, so it gains 1800 ATK, giving it a total of 4200 ATK."

"Not bad," the brown-haired man nodded, "but still not good enough."

"Not yet," Gareth smirked. "I activate Burst into Flames! I decrease your monster's ATK by 800. Now that your monster's ATK is 0, I have more than enough ATK to finish you off."

Gareth's flaming lion opened its mouth to release a jet of cinders at his opponent's monster, setting it afire and weakening it to the point of no resistance.

(When your opponent's monster attacks or is attacked by your Fire attribute monster, decrease that monster's ATK by 800. If its ATK is greater than that of your monster, you can negate all battle damage this turn and draw 1 card)

"I see," the Dark Chaser said, closing his eyes. "As they say, you're a genius at this game."

"Resorting to flattery?" Gareth poked, smiling satisfactorily at his assured victory.

"Not quite," he grinned back. "You see, you may be better than me at playing this game, but as I've said before, I'm not playing by your rules."

Reaching into his back pocket, Bloodstone pulled out a cylindrical device with his thumb over a switch at the top. Though he didn't recognize it, Gareth had immediately guessed what it was.

"If you think you're the only one who can predict your opponent's moves," the brown-haired man smiled maliciously, "then you're sorely mistaken. I set a DED bomb on the first floor of your company building, right over the basement where you probably evacuated your workers to. When I press this button, the explosion will collapse the floor and the debris will fall into the basement, killing all your beloved employees."

"You bastard," Gareth cursed through gritted teeth.

"Call me whatever you like," Bloodstone replied. "But it doesn't change your situation. So, are you sure you want to attack me?"

Clenching his fists, Gareth closed his eyes and bowed his head, mentally berating himself for having made such a tactical error. He knew his opponent was a professional sniper, so he should have guessed that such an individual would have made a contingency plan in case his shot failed. Sending all of his employees to the basement was the single most foolish decision he could have possibly made. Sure he could blame his fatigue or his troubled state of mind, but in the end, it didn't change the fact that he was responsible for endangering the lives of those who placed their trust in him. He didn't have anyone to blame but himself. Gareth knew that this was his only chance to win the duel, but if he didn't comply with the Bloodstone's demands, everyone at headquarters would die. Under such circumstances, the choice was obvious. The most he could do in this situation was stall for as long as he could and hope that a miracle happened.

"I set 1 card," Gareth mumbled. "Turn end."

"Good choice," the brown-haired man smirked. "But now, it's really over. I activate three copies of the Spell card Invest and Return. I discard 1 card, mill 1 card, and draw 2 cards."

As Bloodstone performed this action three times, his monster flung three rocks at Leoferno, striking it and damaging it to the point of wobbling legs and helpless whimpers. (Leoferno: 900 ATK)

(Discard 1 card and send 1 card from the top of your deck to the Graveyard. Draw 2 cards)

"Now, I activate two copies of Spell Recycle," the Dark Chaser continued. "I discard 1 card to add 2 Spell cards from my Graveyard to my hand."

Two more boulders flew at Gareth's monster, covering it in dark bruises and rendering it so crippled that it collapsed on the ground, unable to even look up. (Leoferno: 0 ATK)

"Any last words?" the brown-haired man sneered.

"Just make your move," Gareth snarled angrily.

"As you wish," Bloodstone smiled. "I activate Invest and Return, destroying your monster and dealing you damage equal to its original ATK!"

"I activate my Trap card Fire Wall!" Gareth countered. "When my monster is about to be destroyed, I can prevent its destruction and halve all battle damage until the End Phase of this turn!"

As the final rock was thrown, a massive screen of flames erupted from the ground, incinerating it and sparing Gareth's monster from certain doom.

(If a Fire attribute monster is selected as the target of a card that destroys a monster or about to be destroyed in battle, halve all battle damage. No monsters can be destroyed this turn)

"You shouldn't have done that," Bloodstone chuckled, brandishing his switch.

"You son of a bitch," Gareth grumbled. "I did what you said. I didn't attack you last turn."

"I don't remember saying you could defend against my attacks," he snickered.

"You sadistic, conniving scoundrel," Gareth barked. "Have you really no shame for what you're doing?"

"The only shame I feel is that this didn't happen sooner," he replied. "On second thought, here's maybe another. It's a shame that your employees are going to die because you didn't listen to me."

"I'm the one you want," Gareth pleaded. "Leave them out of this!"

"I gave you a chance," Bloodstone smirked. "And you wasted it."

"Please!" Gareth shouted. "I'll do anything!"

"Too late!"

Holding out the switch for his desperate opponent to see, Bloodstone pushed down on the switch, triggering a massive explosion of energy from the first floor of the D.T. Corporation building. As the ground began to rumble and black clouds of smoke arose from below, Gareth's eyes widened as blood drained from his face and his skin grew pale. Bearing a dark expression of hopelessness and despair, Gareth succumbed to his mental and physical weariness, falling to his knees.

The shock from the realization that he had single-handedly sent everyone in his company to their graves was too much for him to bear. For Gareth, who had sworn to fight to protect innocent people from pain and sadness caused by the actions of evil men, the fact that he had not only failed to protect them, but also played a role in their deaths, had driven him to the darkest realm of despair. Clutching his chest, Gareth gasped heavily as he tried to catch his breath, his composure shattered and his confidence obliterated. With everything that had happened, Gareth's heart was broken.

I failed, Gareth thought miserably to himself. After everything I worked for, after everything I've been through, all I've done was make promises that I couldn't keep. All I wanted to do was rid the world of evil, but the only things I managed to destroy were the lives of innocent people. Because I was arrogant. Because I thought I was strong enough. Because I wanted to be a hero. But in the end, I couldn't do anything. Eric, my employees, everyone who believed in me, they suffered at my incompetent hands. I let them all down.

As he breathed heavy gasps with a despondent expression, Gareth lay wretchedly on the floor, his mind filled with nothing but melancholy thoughts.

Maybe this is fate, Gareth thought as he looked blankly at the moon in the sky. Maybe this is some kind of divine punishment for trying to do something that was impossible to begin with. Maybe that light we've all dreamed of and strived towards was never reachable in the first place. If this is really the end, then maybe this is a fitting way to die, being mocked by the ever distant light which I so foolishly reached towards. Indeed, there's no salvation for a sinner as contemptible and irredeemable as me.

Gareth slumped on the floor, resigned to both his defeat and his death.

However, something happened that made him raise his head once more. Something strange and miraculous.

"What a pitiful sight," a deep, growling voice suddenly rang in Gareth's head.

Gareth stared at the sky, believing that he was hearing the voice of the god he never believed in. Whimpering softly, he came to believe that he was losing his mind.

"And here I thought that you of all people would hold strong in the face of despair," the voice said. "Truly, I'm disappointed in you."

"Sorry," Gareth replied softly. "I just don't know what to do anymore."

"Of course you do," it responded. "You stand up and fight."

"To what end?" Gareth asked with a shaky voice. "No matter how much I fight, no matter how hard I try, I can't protect anyone."

"Does that mean you were wrong?" the voice posed. "Does the fact that you failed mean that you were mistaken in your ideals? Can you truly believe that everything you stood for was incorrect?"

"It doesn't matter," Gareth muttered. "Ideals don't mean anything if I don't have the strength to carry them out. In the face of evil, I don't have the courage to abandon my honor and smite my foes. I can't win."

"What you call courage I call weakness," the voice proclaimed. "True courage is the ability to stand for what is right and just no matter what storms one may endure. No matter what hardships come your way, you must stand firm and steadfast in your beliefs. From your failures, you must have the courage to rise once more."

"But I'm tired of enduring," Gareth sighed. "I'm tired of seeing people suffering and I'm tired of not being able to do anything about it. How long am I supposed to try my best only to see everything fall apart right in front of me? Every time I regain the slightest bit of hope, something happens that spits in my face and tears it to pieces. Now, I just don't have the will to continue anymore."

"You have a pure and just heart," the voice said, "and you have a strength that's incontestable by anyone. But because of that, you walk a long and difficult path ridden with hardships. If what you lack is the will to endure the pain you encounter along your path, then I will give you the will. Where your heart is dark, I will give you light. Where your spirit is weak, I will give you strength. Where your soul is afraid, I will give you courage. But I cannot do this alone. You must show me you have the resolve. What is your reason for fighting? What is it that you truly wish for? What is it that ignites the fire in your heart?"

At that moment, the smoke that rose from the explosion at the D.T. Corporation building began to recede as the duel energy emitted from the blast slowly assimilated back together, undoing all the damage it did.

"What the hell is happening?" Bloodstone exclaimed, shocked at the supernatural phenomenon he was witnessing.

Then, the particles of energy dissipated into the air in a light continuous stream, flowing gently in the air into Gareth's duel disk. He watched in absolute awe as the top card of his deck glowed with a bright yellow, filling his body with a comforting sensation of warmth and an undaunting feeling of power. Gareth didn't know what was happening, but for some reason, the despair he felt before had vanished, replaced by an overwhelming sense of courage that allowed him to pull himself together.

What is my reason for fighting? Gareth asked himself. Revenge? Pride? Duty?

Then, Gareth found his answer. He couldn't have been fighting all this time on the basis of such weak and ingenuine motivations. He was fighting because he wanted to save people from the same horrors he had to endure, horrors that the Dark Chasers would inflict on the entire world if left to their devices. Gareth didn't fight because he wanted revenge for what happened to him, or because of some vague sense of noblesse oblige. He fought because he wanted to, because it was just the person he was and the person he wanted himself to be. Until now, Gareth felt a heavy burden on his back, a burden to be powerful and flawless to achieve his goals. But the truth was that he was nowhere near the impossible expectations he placed on himself, and nowhere near strong enough to do everything alone. That was why it was so important for him to keep fighting in times of crisis, why he couldn't mope and complain when things were tough. Because he wasn't perfect. Because he was weak.

But weakness isn't something I should be ashamed of, Gareth acknowledged. I have a long way to go if I want to beat the Dark Chasers, and crying about it isn't going to help. I need to become stronger, and only by overcoming my weaknesses can I evolve. No matter what happens, I need to keep my resolve, to keep the fire inside my heart burning.

At that moment, trails of energy seeped from Gareth's body, rising into the air like blazing flames and illuminating the night sky.

"What the hell are you?" the Dark Chaser asked, his expression filled with fear.

"I am the inextinguishable flame of justice," Gareth declared solemnly. "It's a flame that burns with a promise to sear the evil which corrupts the world and to bring light to those oppressed by darkness."

He had no idea what had happened or why it had happened, but he was thankful for it. Whatever it was that had spoken to him, whatever this glowing card was, Gareth now knew what must be done.

"My heart may be weak and afraid," he said to himself, "but I swear that I will never allow this flame to be tainted or put out ever again. So give me the power to let my flame burn with all my might!"

Clenching the top card of his deck, Gareth forcefully swung his arm in a long arc, leaving a shining trail of iridescent light.

"I summon the Tuner monster Regalia of Light!" Gareth declared.

Particles of white light emerged from Gareth's chest, sparkling vividly as they gathered together to form a golden pentagonal crest, engraved with the image of a benevolent goddess surrounded by a forest of luscious trees. This was unlike any monster Gareth had ever seen, in shape or spirit. Something about this glistening crest radiated an ethereal brilliance, shining so brightly that all nearby shadows seemed to have disappeared.

(Regalia of Light: Level 2/LIGHT/Divine-Beast/ATK-0 DEF-0/Effect: When this card is used for the Synchro Summon of a Synchro monster, that monster is unaffected by Monster, Spell, or Trap card effects until the End Phase of the turn in which it was summoned)

"I'm tuning level 2 Regalia of Light with level 6 Leoferno," Gareth announced boldly. "A burning flame of the soul smolders brightly! Kindle the luminous fire of truth and courage! Synchro Summon! Ignite and descend, Auric Flame Griffon!"

Rising steadily, the sparkling crest phased through Leoferno, leaving a small emblem on its forehead and invigorating it with the strength it had been deprived of before vanishing into specks of light. Overflowing with power and energy, Leoferno roared mightily as golden flames engulfed its body, causing it to grow to a tremendous mountain of fire and light with the vague semblance of a lion. Fiery wings sprouted from the creature's back as majestic steel armor materialized on its head, torso, and limbs, reflecting a rich golden color. Finally, the eminent beast unleashed a powerful and deafening howl, dissipating the remaining flames to reveal its silky orange fur and flowing mane of crimson fire. The titan which now stood on Gareth's field was the manifestation of his will and determination, burning with flames of passion and radiating with the light of justice. This was Gareth's new power, the evolution of his strength that corresponded to his pledge of unyielding faith in his ideals.

(Auric Flame Griffon: Regalia of Light + Leoferno/Level 8/FIRE/Divine-Beast/ATK-3000 DEF-2400/Effect: Once per turn, you can destroy all other cards on the field and inflict 500 points of damage to each player for each card destroyed respectively. When this card is removed from the field, you can Special Summon 1 material monster used for the Synchro Summon of this card from your Graveyard)

"What the hell is that thing?" Bloodstone gasped, his face flushed with fear and trepidation.

"This is your judgment," Gareth replied sternly. "For your remorseless acts of wickedness and evil, for your cruel and sinful disregard for life, this card will be the arbiter which brings you to justice. I activate Auric Flame Griffon's effect. Once per turn, I can destroy all other cards on the field and deal 500 points of damage for each!"

With one earth-shattering stomp, the mighty flaming griffon conjured a plethora of enormous blazing geysers, illuminating the field with pillars of flickering fire and incinerating everything within sight. The simmering heat of the flames, as well as the sheer power exuded by Gareth's monster, was enough to bring the Dark Chaser opposite him to tears. (400/3000)

"This is the end," Gareth proclaimed. "Auric Flame Griffon, attack directly! Golden Flame of Judgment!"

Tilting its head back before chucking it forward with all its might, the gargantuan mythical beast unleashed a powerful torrent of scarlet flames, laced with spirals of golden light. Squealing sharply as he was knocked back by the sheer force of the griffon's attack, Bloodstone flew several meters before landing prostate, rendered completely unconscious by the relentless flurry of flames which devastated both his mind and body. When the attack finally subsided, Gareth squinted his eyes as he observed his surroundings: a hellish battleground utterly enveloped in tremendous waves of ruthless flames, with the victim lying utterly still in the center. (400/0)

Fearing for the man's life, Gareth ran to the Dark Chaser and placed his fingers at his carotid artery to check his pulse, hoping desperately that he was still alive. Closing his eyes and taking a deep sigh of relief, Gareth smiled as he confirmed that his opponent had not been killed.

Standing up, Gareth started to walk away when he noticed that the flames which surrounded the field had disappeared, but the griffon he had summoned did not. It stood exactly where it was with its tremendous figure and towering presence, exuding an aura of unparalleled majesty. As Gareth stared into its large golden eyes, an enchanting feeling rushed through him, entrancing him with its charisma and ensuring him that everything was going to be okay.

For someone like Gareth who couldn't stand not knowing something, he was at the end of his wits as to what in the world was currently happening. Yet, strangely, he didn't feel suspicious or distrusting of the supernatural beast standing in front of him. In fact, he felt a warm sense of familiarity or camaraderie with it, like they understood each other despite only having met minutes ago, like they shared an inexplicable connection in their hearts. Maybe it was because it had allowed him to win the duel in his greatest time of need. Maybe it was because it had saved him from despairing over his failure and compromising his beliefs. Maybe it was because it had reminded him of his true purpose. He didn't know what it was. But at this point, he didn't really care. He knew the creature which stood before him was on his side.


	14. Chapter 14

Yu-Gi-Oh! D.T.

Chapter 14: Soothing Dusk, Gleam of the Unwavering Moon

January 15, 2051 12:00 AM

Her eyes burst open when she suddenly felt an intense jolt of of energy from somewhere far away, the place where a guardian had unsealed their hidden powers and made a contract with a spirit. That was what the mental vision she saw in her dream just now had made aware to her. Now, there was no choice; she had nothing to hide behind any longer. The time had come for her to finally leave the sanctuary of the temple and meet the guardians who held the fate of the world in their hands.

Pulling off her silk sheets, the young woman rose from bed and opened her closet to gaze upon the traditional attire of the priests, worn by millennia of predecessors before her. She had always dreaded the image of herself in this bland white robe with its distasteful black pallium and waistband, a set of attire she found not only archaic in style but also visually displeasing. But despite her aversion towards her people's fashion style, the young priest knew that it was her destiny to represent her people, to carry on the wishes of those who had given their lives so that the world may be saved from the ambitions of evil men. To wear this garment was a great honor.

And yet, as she looked at her small figure in the mirror, poorly accommodated by the long, draping sleeves of the robe dragging embarrassingly on the floor, she couldn't help but feel anxious about the kinds of reactions she would elicit from the denizens of the outside world, whose clothing styles she remembered from her youth looked nothing like what she was wearing. The shy and self-conscious girl that she was, the young priest shuddered with fear at the prospect of being mocked and laughed at, of being cast out simply because she was different.

In the past, she would often confide in her peers, telling them about her multitudes of little concerns, but the responses she had received comprised mostly of derision for thinking about such trivial things when the fate of the world rested in her hands. Of course, remembering these lectures about what was important and what wasn't did nothing to calm her nerves, but they did remind her of the tremendous weight upon her shoulders. Between saving the world and wearing more aesthetically-appealing clothes, the choice was obvious. As she walked down the main hall of the temple, she knew it was no time to be selfish.

Taking a deep breath, followed by several more, the priest placed her hand on the large stone door leading to the outside world and pushed gently. The two doors slowly creaked open, revealing a thin line of orange sunlight which glowed warmly on her face. Gasping with awe and affection as the temple was slowly illuminated by the first wave of daylight it had seen for almost two decades, the priest took a moment to appreciate the sheer beauty of this spectacle. Then, inhaling a breath of the fresh air she'd been deprived of for so long, she took her first step into the outside world.

January 15, 3051 12:03 AM

Eric walked slowly into the convenience store near his apartment, his face hidden by the shadows cast from the hood over his slouching head. He trudged down the center aisle and made his way to the refrigerated section, where he opened a glass door and pulled out a bottle of his regular iced tea. In the past, he would have been elated by the sight of this chilled beverage, its dark translucent color tempting his appetite, the foggy condensation enticing him with the promise of refreshing coolness.

But lately, he felt no such excitement from his frequent iced tea runs. In fact, for the last week, he hadn't felt much of anything at all. Everything about him felt empty: his meals, his daily routines, his work. With his passion extinguished and his identity shattered, deprived of any goal to strive towards, Eric felt that his whole life had become meaningless.

As he walked towards the cash register to pay for his drink, he took a glance at the store owner, his face as grouchy and unwelcoming as ever. At this point in time, the sight of Gaige made Eric realize something: the reason why the old man was so grumpy and unpleasant all the time. In life, all human beings experienced pain and sadness, things that chipped away at their spirit and confidence over time. Eric wondered, in the many years of Gaige's life, how many things he'd seen, how much he had suffered as a result, and how hard he must have tried to find a reason to live all this time.

At the same time, he also came to admire Gaige as a veteran of the war known as life, a survivor of the cruelties he had witnessed, a battle-hardened warrior who continued to live despite all that had happened to him. Eric had always chided people for giving up hope and being weak, but he didn't understand them at all. It wasn't until he had drowned in his own sorrows that he realized just how difficult it was to retain hope in this chaotic world and how much of a hypocrite he'd been for expecting people to be strong when he himself was so weak. As he peered at his reflection in Gaige's dry gray eyes, he wondered if he was doomed to live the same agonizing life, to watch idly as the world lost all its color and light.

"Trying to hide your face from my security cameras?" Gaige mumbled. "Take off your damn hood."

Eric silently did as he was told.

"Did you see a ghost or did you turn into one?" Gaige asked as he saw Eric's pale complexion. "What's your deal?"

"Nothing," Eric replied softly. "I'm fine."

"That's funny," Gaige scoffed as he scanned the iced tea.

"What is?" Eric inquired.

"That's the first time I've heard you lie," Gaige said, furrowing his brow. "Whatever happened, it must've been one hell of a killjoy."

"You know," Eric smiled weakly, "I've never told you how much I appreciate your sarcasm."

"Save the flattery, kid," Gaige snorted. "Wanna tell me what's going on?"

"It's fine," Eric said, turning away. "It's my problem, not yours."

"The hell it isn't," Gaige raised his voice. "If you mean to tell me that your moping isn't affecting my customers, then you're at the wrong shop, kid."

Eric glanced around the store, devoid of any human beings aside from the cardboard figure of a woman in a dress promoting the purchase of lottery tickets. Turning back to the store owner, Eric cocked an eyebrow and gave a cheeky grin.

"Anyway," Gaige coughed, averting his eyes, "what the hell is your problem?"

"It's nothing really," Eric said, staring at the floor. "I've just got some things to think about."

"Oh?" Gaige smirked. "So you can think, huh? And all this time, I thought you couldn't land a stable job 'cuz you didn't know how to rack your brains."

"I was a duelist, you know?" Eric sighed, grinning weakly. "It takes more than a little brain-racking to graduate from Duel Academy."

"You 'were' a duelist, huh?" Gaige repeated. "What happened?"

"I couldn't take it anymore," Eric replied somberly. "It just wasn't the same as it used to be."

"Saw the ugly side, did you?" Gaige asked.

"I guess you can put it that way," Eric mumbled.

"Lemme tell you a story," Gaige said.

"God no," Eric groaned, preparing to walk away.

"Just shut up and listen," Gaige snorted.

Resigning himself, Eric turned back and leaned against a shelf, taking a sip of tea.

"My pop used to run a store like this one back where we lived in Schroeder City," Gaige began. "Business was good. Well, except maybe when the economy went to hell along with the Momentum Reactor, but we managed to keep the shop alive."

"Setup," Eric said, rolling his eyes to indicate his lack of interest.

"But then," Gaige raised his voice in annoyance, "a new store opened right next to us and stole all our business."

"Conflict," Eric noted, taking another sip of tea.

"Shut up, smart-ass," Gaige hissed. "Anyway, we did all sorts of things to pick business back up. Promotions, deals, advertisements. We worked our asses off day and night to stay in the game."

"And then by persevering and not giving up hope, you eventually made it through," Eric sighed. "I'm sorry, I appreciate you trying to cheer me up, but that's not going to help me."

"Actually," Gaige frowned, "we went out of business."

"What?" Eric asked in slight shock.

"Yeah," Gaige said. "We couldn't keep up with our competitors 'cuz they pulled some nasty tricks on us. Scaring our customers. Talking shit about our products. We didn't stand a chance."

"So why didn't you do the same thing to them?" Eric asked.

"My pop was a good man," Gaige said in a serious tone. "He always taught us to do the right thing, and because of that, he didn't stoop to their level."

"But that made him go out of business," Eric muttered bitterly. "He wanted to be the bigger person, and he suffered because of it. I guess it's true that in the end, winning is all people really care about, no matter how they do it."

"That's what my pop learned after that," Gaige sighed. "When the shop closed, he became a different person, a broken man. Failure took his guts. Then, drugs and booze took his life."

"I'm sorry," Eric whispered, imagining his own life ending in a similar tragedy.

"But I wasn't ready to quit," Gaige said. "I was a kid back then, a little older than you. I took out a loan and opened another shop, tried to beat them for revenge. I pulled the same tricks they did and then some. They went out of business in no time."

"And then?" Eric asked with a glint of curiosity.

"I regretted it," Gaige frowned as he lowered his head. "It turned out their kid was sick and they needed the money to pay for her meds. After their shop closed down, she didn't last long. The mother committed suicide a year later, followed by the father."

Eric remained silent.

"I killed that family," Gaige said in a somber voice, "and I couldn't live with myself after that. I guess my wife couldn't either; a year later, she took our son and left. Eventually, I closed my own shop and moved away."

Eric was speechless. Until now, he had never thought about the different reasons why people resorted to evil; he'd always assumed they were doing it for their own self-satisfaction. He had quit dueling because he didn't want to be part of something that punished those who played fair, something that brought out the monsters in people, including himself. But now, after hearing Gaige's story, he understood that the darkness of human nature didn't manifest in Duel Monsters alone; it was everywhere.

Although Eric learned something from his story, it did nothing to cheer him up. In fact, if anything, it made him feel worse. It was as though he'd been told that there was no way to escape pain and agony, that humanity was doomed to suffer eternally by its own hands.

Yet, something still didn't make sense.

"If all that happened to you," Eric said to the store owner, "then why are you still running a shop?"

The elderly man raised his head and met Eric's curious eyes, giving him a peculiar smile. Looking at them once more, Eric saw something else in Gaige's dry gray eyes, a kind of shine which exuded a feeling of enlightened wisdom that came not with age or experience, but with something even simpler. For a good minute, Eric stared quietly at the old store owner, deeply entranced by the knowledge which gave him the courage to hold his head high despite the darkness of his past.

"You've got a brain, right?" Gaige snorted condescendingly. "Think about it."

"Some things never change," Eric grinned as he pulled out his wallet.

"Don't worry about it," Gaige said. "This one's on me."

His eyes widened at the store owner's unusual generosity. Somehow, Moria Gaige, the grumpy man who had always argued with Eric over prices and other petty things, seemed a saint. Maybe it was a spur-of-the-moment decision. Maybe it was sympathy. Or maybe he was giving a cryptic hint about what he was trying to say. Whatever it was, Eric began to see this man in a new light. Looking the man in the eyes, Eric offered him a teethy smile.

"Thanks, old man."

With that, Eric exited the store and made his way back to his apartment.

_If evil exists in everything_, Eric thought to himself, _then quitting Duel Monsters isn't the solution, it's just running away from the problem._

Picking up the cards that still lay scattered on the floor, Eric arranged them back into a pile, caressing them apologetically as he noticed the creases and bends that had formed as a result of his throwing them against the wall.

_I may not know what the answer is_, Eric thought, _and I may never get back the confidence I had before. But at least now, I won't run away or hesitate. Crying and being sad about my problems isn't going to fix them. It's time for me to grow up._

Taking a deep breath, Eric inserted his deck into his duel disk. Immediately, he felt a large burden fall off his shoulders as tears began to stream down his face.

God damn it, Eric laughed at himself. I just told myself I wouldn't cry anymore.

But he didn't get upset.

He knew that these weren't tears of anguish or despair.

They were tears of joy and relief.

January 15, 3051 1:15 AM

As he sat on his bed looking through his cards, Eric couldn't stop smiling to himself. Although his doubts and frustrations weren't gone, he felt a sweet sense of relief over the fact that he didn't have to quit Duel Monsters, an integral part of his life he didn't know he loved that much until he had almost abandoned it. Despite his second thoughts about his father's philosophy of respect, Eric felt that he had somehow reconnected with the part of that man which he had inherited: the soul of the duelist, the spark of passion that lit the hearts of men and led them to the battlefield of their dreams. He was so close to rediscovering his reason for dueling, but somehow, it eluded him.

He needed something to believe in, something that would let him jump back into that brutal and savage world despite all the grief it had caused him. He didn't have a just cause like Gareth did or a moral obligation like Olivia did. In fact, he now knew that even if he did, he wasn't mentally strong enough to withstand the pressures and bitterness involved in such a cutthroat battle. Eric felt that his reason for fighting had to be something simpler to explain why someone as weak and naive as him would continue to walk down this path of tragedy.

In the midst of Eric's contemplation, that reason emerged before him. In the blink of an eye, he felt something heavy latch onto his back, restraining his arms and pressing against his throat with tremendous force. Gasping for air, Eric collapsed onto the floor, flailing his arms about as he suffocated. As per human survival instinct, Eric's reaction was not an attempt to rationalize what was happening, but rather a desperate impulse to stay alive. He gripped the arms wrapped around his neck, pulling as hard as he could to pry them off but finding to his horror and dismay that he lacked the physical strength to overpower the assassin.

_God damn it!_ Eric thought to himself. _I don't want to die now! Not like this!_

He rolled around, try to ram his opponent into something and inflict enough damage to make him let go, but found to his dismay that his room was entirely devoid of furniture, with the exception of a soft spring mattress.

_Shit!_ Eric grumbled mentally. _If I don't do something soon, I'm going to die! If only Gareth were here; he'd beat this guy in less than a second!_

Then, he remembered something, something Gareth had told him the day he bought his duel runner.

_If there's one thing I learned from my experience fighting against the Dark Chasers_, Eric recalled in his mind, _it's that they'll almost always attack from the back like the cowards they are. Arm locks. Neck chokes. Restraining techniques. Those are the things you should look out for most. Luckily, there's an easy way to beat them all. Just swing your head back and strike them in the face. Even if they don't let go, they'll be stunned long enough for you to escape._

Leaning his head as far forward as he could, Eric swung his head back, only to strain his neck as he missed the assassin's face. Groaning roughly, Eric repeated this motion several times over until finally, he managed to collide against what felt like the assassin's forehead. Succeeding in distracting his opponent, Eric summoned all the strength he could muster into his hands to pry apart his attacker's arms and escape the suffocating choke. Wheezing and coughing violently, Eric stumbled outside his apartment where he activated the DED nullifier on his duel runner and trapped his opponent inside its constraining barrier with a two-meter radius. Sighing of relief as his breathing returned to normal, Eric equipped his ultramarine-colored duel disk and waited for his attacker to reveal himself.

Only now, as the attacker emerged from Eric's room, it quickly became clear that it was not a man, but a woman. Eric's eyes widened as he noticed her hand over her face, secreting a stream of blood which trickled down her arm onto her white tank top and faded blue jeans. With her curly brown hair tied back, he could see a number of other nasty scars, ruining what might have otherwise been a very pretty face. Her light blue eyes quivered in the moonlight as she tried her best to hold back tears.

"Why?" Eric asked, completely shocked by what he was seeing. "Why is someone like you-?"

"You don't get to judge me," she growled, her lips shuddering over her gritted teeth.

"Just tell me why?" Eric pleaded, his face full of anguish. "Why do we have to fight? I just don't understand."

"Because I'm a woman?" she snarled. "You think because I'm a woman that I'm weak? That I can't fight my own battles? You men are all the same, looking down on me just because I'm a girl!"

"That's not it!" Eric exclaimed. "What reason do you have to attack me? Why do you have to go so far, letting yourself get hurt because of it?"

"Just shut up and duel me, you sexist pig!" the woman barked.

"Wait!" Eric shouted. "Can't we talk thi-?"

"Duel!" she shouted, activating her duel disk.

"God damn it," Eric whispered to himself, checking his duel runner monitor to check his opponent's identity.

Aurora, he read mentally, a Light division Dark Chaser captain with a 74% win rate.

"I'll take the first turn!" she declared, drawing a card as a trickle of blood fell on her gray-colored duel disk. "I summon Silverstream Sentry!"

A shining portal appeared beside Aurora, revealing a black-haired woman adorned in an argent suit of armor and wielding a long metal spear.

(Silverstream Sentry: Level 4/LIGHT/Warrior/ATK-1400 Def-1300/Effect: When this card is sent from the field to the Graveyard, you can Special Summon 1 level 4 or lower "Silverstream" monster from your Deck)

"I set 2 cards," she continued. "Turn end."

It was now Eric's turn, but he didn't know how he was going to play. Without a reason to fight, without a philosophy to believe in, Eric felt entirely lost as to why he needed to go through with this duel in the first place. He didn't know why the woman standing in front of him wanted to hurt him, and he definitely had no reason to hurt her. Yet, here they were, standing face-to-face in a duel for their lives.

He didn't want this. All Eric wanted was to talk things out and resolve whatever problem there was without resorting to violence. Even now, when he could no longer believe in his father's ideals , all he wanted was for people to respect each other. But unfortunately, he knew it could never happen. He'd been through too much and seen too many things to think that people could ever do that. Yet, nonetheless, he couldn't bring himself to embrace the wickedness he saw in everyone else. He had crossed that line once before, and he never wanted to do it again.

It was for this reason that despite this woman's attempt to kill him only minutes ago, he couldn't feel an ounce of anger or hatred towards her, only sadness. He felt it from the multitude of scars all over her face and body. He felt it from her dry blue eyes which seemed to reflect all the anger and despair she'd experienced in her life. Whatever happened that made her into this pitiful creature, this fragile woman sacrificing herself for an organization that probably didn't give a single damn about her, Eric didn't even want to imagine. He was sick and tired of seeing the misery in people's lives turning them into instruments of heinous men's ambitions. Deep in his heart, Eric didn't want to fight her. Even if she was a Dark Chaser, he couldn't bring himself to cause her any more pain that he knew she had already experienced, even if she wanted to kill him.

"What the hell are you waiting for?" she barked. "Take your damn turn already!"

After gritting his teeth for a few seconds, Eric finally drew a card.

"My turn," Eric said weakly. "I summon Moonlight Guard in defense mode."

Particles of light materialized and collected together to form a glowing ball, which burst open seconds later to form a shield-bearing warrior in steel armor, crouching to defend its master.

(Moonlight Guard: Level 3/LIGHT/Warrior/ATK-0 DEF-2000/Effect: If your opponent's monster attacks this card, all of your opponent's monsters' effects are negated. As long as every monster in your Graveyard is LIGHT attribute, this card cannot be destroyed in battle)

"Turn end," Eric muttered.

"You son of a bitch!" Aurora shouted. "What the hell are you trying to pull?"

Eric remained silent, only watching as she glared at him with eyes of animosity.

"Is this the skill level of someone who beat a captain?" she roared. "Are you looking down on me just because I'm a woman? If that's what it is, then I'm going to make you pay!"

"I-I..," Eric stuttered, struggling to say something.

"You what?" Aurora growled. "If you're gonna say something, then say it already!"

"I didn't want to make you suffer anymore," Eric replied softly. "I didn't want to make you feel any more pain than you've already felt. It would be insensitive and disrespectful of me."

"Bullshit!" the woman cursed. "You think I want your goddamn pity? We're enemies! There's no room for useless feelings like sympathy on the battlefield!"

Once again Eric did nothing but listen in silence.

"If you think you can beat me so easily, then you're full of shit!" Aurora shouted. "Insensitive? Disrespectful! Bull! What's insensitive and disrespectful is that you're not treating me like a real opponent!"

"I don't want to fight you," Eric insisted. "I don't want you to be my opponent."

"Then I'll make you," Aurora growled. "I activate my Equip Spell Silver Gale, giving my monster 1000 ATK! Silverstream Sentry attacks Moonlight Guard! Silver Impale!"

As a thin stream of air swirled around her monster's weapon, the sentry gave a dignified battle cry before charging Moonlight Guard, piercing through its shield and torso.

(Equip this card to 1 "Silverstream" monster you control. That monster gains 1000 ATK)

At this moment, Eric felt something click inside. Through the impact of her monster's attack, he could feel a melancholy scream of unsuppressed rage tearing through his very core. It was as though he could feel her raw emotions exploding, rending his heart with her lifelong experiences of bitter torment. Eric's body shook with a numbing chill as he began to understand just what kind of a horrible life she had lived to turn her into the hateful person she was today. Her sheer hatred of men seemed to stem from injustices she had experienced at the hands of the male gender, injustices Eric didn't even want to imagine. Without a doubt, she was yet another product of society's crimes. Yet, her feelings of anger and hatred weren't manipulated by the Dark Chasers and channeled into vicious missions; everything she did was for herself. He knew then that no matter how much he understood her sorrow, no matter how much respect he gave her, there was nothing he could do to alleviate her suffering. Only through battle could she fully express the full extent of her pain. Only by fighting had she managed to cope with everything she'd been through. Only by killing had she managed to stay alive.

"I'm sorry," Eric apologized.

"You fucking asshole!" she shouted. "You think I need your apology? You mysoginistic-!"

"I'm sorry that I can't do anything for you," Eric interrupted her.

After hearing his words, Aurora became silent.

"I'm sorry that nothing I do will change what happened to you," Eric said. "But you're right. I haven't been treating you with respect. You don't deserve it."

"You….you….," Aurora growled, contempt bleeding from the tears in her eyes.

"Me too," Eric smiled. "I'm not worthy of anyone's respect either. I'm not so naive as to think I am, not anymore. "

Eric could hear rough breathing as she gritted her teeth, trying her best to control her tears of anger.

"That's why," Eric said, "I'm not going to play as a man, your opponent, or anything else you might think of me as. This duel isn't about you or me."

"No," Aurora growled, "it's not. It's about me completing my mission."

And me mine, Eric thought to himself.

"My turn," Eric declared as he drew a card. "I summon Brightglow Dragon from my hand!"

A beam of light descended from the sky, fading away to unveil an adolescent dragon with shimmering white scales, growling in an honest attempt to intimidate its foe.

(Brightglow Dragon: Level 4/LIGHT/Dragon/ATK-1600 DEF-300/Effect-If this card is Normal Summoned while you have no monsters on your side of the field, you can Special Summon a level 4 or lower LIGHT attribute Tuner monster from your hand)

_There are so many people out there who are in so much pain._

"Brightglow Dragon lets me summon a Light Tuner from my hand if it's summoned when I have no other monsters on my field," Eric explained. "I summon Lunar Soul!"

The dragon opened its mouth and spat out a glowing ball of light, which unexpectedly opened a pair of glistening crystal eyes before bouncing around playfully around Eric's field.

(Lunar Soul: Level 2/LIGHT/Rock/ATK-0 DEF-0/Effect: When this card is summoned, you can play a Trap card from your hand)

_It's like the human race is good at nothing but hurting its own people._

"I'm tuning level 2 Lunar Soul with level 4 Brightglow Dragon," Eric announced. "The shining moon guides all to greatness. Glisten brightly in your destiny! Synchro Summon! Sparkle, Lunar Knight!"

Eric's two monsters fused together into a spiral of swirling light, instantly bursting into a thick horizontal beam which dissipated moments later to reveal a golden knight leaning forward with its lance in a lunging stance.

(Lunar Knight: Level 6/LIGHT/Warrior/ATK-1800 DEF-1400/Effect-This card can attack until your opponent controls no monsters. This card gains 100 ATK for each monster in your Graveyard)

_People are always doing horrible things, taking advantage of others for their own benefit._

"Next," Eric continued, "I remove Brightglow Dragon from play to Special Summon Moonlight Prince from my hand!"

A shimmering light blinked onto Eric's field, flashing in a second and replacing itself with a young man dressed in elaborate royal garbs.

(Moonlight Prince: Level 5/LIGHT/Warrior/ATK-1500 DEF-300/Effect: You can Special Summon this card from your hand by removing 1 LIGHT attribute monster in your Graveyard from play)

_And with every evil act, hate brings nothing but more hate._

"I equip Lunar Knight with my Equip Spell Moonlight Saber," Eric declared. "This card gives my monster 500 ATK for each Light attribute monster on my field, making its ATK 2900."

The golden knight raised its empty hand to the air to receive a blue energy sword, glowing brighter with each monster beside him.

(The equipped monster gains 500 ATK for each Light attribute monster you control)

_We are so wicked a species that we can even let something like a card game turn us into monsters._

"Now, Eric said with a wave of his hand, "Lunar Knight attacks Silverstream Sentry with Shining Lance!"

Eric's monster dashed at the female warrior, skewered it with its lance, and turned around to throw a backward slash with its energy saber, sending it flying backwards into a white portal. (4000/3500)

_So why can't I quit Duel Monsters, this awful game that brings out the darkness in all of us?_

"When Silverstream Sentry is sent to the grave," Aurora grunted, "I can Special Summon a Silverstream monster from my deck. I choose Silverstream Shieldmaster!"

From out of the portal emerged another female warrior, this time a bulky, dark-skinned fighter wielding a large heavy shield.

(Silverstream Shieldmaster: Level 4/LIGHT/Warrior/ATK-100 DEF-1800/Effect: Once per turn, this card cannot be destroyed by battle)

_If it's simply because I don't want to run away from evil, does that mean that I'm bound to become evil myself?_

"Lunar Knight can attack until you have no monsters left," Eric explained. "Now, attack again with Shining Lance Barrage!"

"What?" she exclaimed.

Aurora watched in frustration as her new summoned guardian was decimated by a flurry of jabs from Eric's monster, seemingly unstoppable with its dual wielding capabilities.

_If my only options are running like a coward or seeing myself become the evil I've always dreaded, why am I still fighting?_

"That's not all you've got, right?" Aurora growled.

"Moonlight Prince," Eric commanded, "direct attack!"

The female Dark Chaser raised her arm to brace herself for the prince's attack, a small sphere of energy released from his hand that created a large explosion around her. (4000/2000)

_Without the hope my dad has always given me, what's my reason to live?_

"I activate my Quick Spell Moon Wave Swap," Eric declared. "I return Lunar Knight to my Extra Deck to draw 1 card and Special Summon the Tuner monster Lunar Soul from my Graveyard!"

Raising its lance at the moon, Eric's golden knight vanished into particles of light, replaced momentarily by the shining orb of light which had aided in its summon.

(Return one monster you control to its owner's hand to Special Summon a Light attribute monster from your Graveyard. If you returned a Synchro monster, you can draw 1 card)

_I'm no better than all the other evildoers out there...hopeless, lost, sinful._

"When Lunar Soul is summoned," Eric explained, "I can activate a Trap card from my hand. I activate Moonlight Synchro, allowing me to Synchro Summon during my Battle Phase!"

(During your Battle Phase, you can Synchro Summon a Light attribute monster)

"Hell," Aurora groaned.

_But I don't want to let it end like this, not with everyone submitting to inevitable despair._

"I'm tuning level 2 Lunar Soul with level 5 Moonlight Prince," Eric declared. "The shining moon guides all to greatness. Glisten brightly in your quest! Synchro Summon! Arise, Everbright Enchanter!"

Gathering all the energy it could muster, the glowing sphere entered the prince's chest, enshrouding it in a blanket of iridescent light. The brightness of the brilliant entity standing on Eric's field fluctuated as it morphed in shape and grew in size. Finally, when the transformation was complete, the creature waved powerfully with both arms, dispelling the light to reveal itself as a powerful sorcerer dressed in grand blue robes and wielding a rare crystal staff.

(Everbright Enchanter: Level 7/LIGHT/Spellcaster/ATK-2600 DEF-2000/Effect: When this card is Synchro Summoned, return all removed from play monsters back to their owner's Graveyard. This card gains 100 ATK for each monster in the Graveyard)

_I want to be a beacon of light, guiding others from the path of darkness._

"Everbright Enchanter," Eric said, raising his hand, "direct attack!"

"Like I said," Aurora scoffed, "don't underestimate me! I activate my Trap card Silver Aegis! I can discard 1 card to negate your attack and Special Summon a 'Silverstream' monster from my Graveyard. I discard Silverstream Empress from my hand and Special Summon it via Silver Aegis's effect!"

As Eric's monster unleashed a radiant beam of light energy from its crystal staff, a blonde female warrior clad in embellished metallic armor descended upon the field, raising her hands to form a gigantic silver barrier, which succeeded in shielding Aurora from the attack.

(When your opponent declares an attack, you can discard 1 card from your hand to negate the attack. Then, Special Summon 1 "Silverstream" monster from your Graveyard)

(Silverstream Empress: Level 8/LIGHT/Warrior/ATK-2500 DEF-2000/Effect: Once per turn, you can increase the ATK of 1 "Silverstream" monster you control by 1000. While you control another "Silverstream" monster, this card cannot be attacked or targeted by your opponent's card effects)

_But time and time again, I fail because I'm not nearly strong enough, kind enough, or wise enough to pierce through anyone's darkness._

"I set 1 card," Eric said in a sorrowful tone. "Turn end."

"I can see the condescension on your smug face," Aurora growled, furrowing her brows. " You think you've beaten me just because you made one decent play. You presumptuous, cocky asshole! I'll show you to look down on me!"

With each word, Eric began to feel more and more of her deep emotional scars, the hatred which had been ingrained in her very soul. More and more, he began to see it, the blood-red aura of anger and contempt that ensnared her body, thick and putrid, aged and stale.

"I summon the Tuner monster Silverstream Assassin!" Aurora announced fiercely.

A silver portal formed beside her, revealing a female warrior with short black hair clad in armor composed of thin metal plates and wielding a pair of sharp daggers.

(Silverstream Assassin: Level 2/LIGHT/Warrior/ATK-500 DEF-500/Effect: When this card is Normal Summoned, destroy 1 level 4 or lower monster your opponent controls)

"Next," she continued, "I Special Summon Silverstream Cavalry from my hand!"

Pouncing from another white portal emerged a snow-white horse, mounted by a masked female warrior wielding a sleek straight sword.

(Silverstream Cavalry: Level 4/LIGHT/Warrior/ATK-1600 DEF-1200/Effect: If you control a "Silverstream" monster, you can Special Summon this card from your hand)

"I'm tuning level 2 Silverstream Assassin with level 4 Silverstream Cavalry," Aurora declared. "A silver arrow pierces the fraudulent heavens and descends upon the world of man's sin. Spill the tainted blood of oppression with your unstoppable fury! Synchro Summon! Rise forth, Silverstream Matron Knight!"

Both of Aurora's monsters howled in anger before dissipating into brilliant fragments of metal, floating gently in the air. Without warning, the metallic shards amalgamated to form two rings which aligned together in the fashion of a gyroscope. Spinning progressively faster, the rings created golden sparks as they scraped against each other, producing ear-shattering shrieks of clashing metal. Finally, at the peak of this pandemonium, the contraption exploded into billions of raining silver sparkles, revealing a red-haired woman wearing a heavy suit of iron armor, wielding a pair of arrow-launchers on her wrists and a sword strapped to her waist. Placing her hands on her hips, the female knight glared at Eric with a poised and dignified smirk.

(Silverstream Matron Knight: 1 "Silverstream" Tuner + 1 or more non-Tuner monsters/Level 6/LIGHT/Warrior/ATK-2000 DEF-1600/Effect: When this card is Synchro Summoned, increase the ATK of all "Silverstream" monsters you control by 500. When this card destroys a monster by battle, you can draw 1 card)

"Matron Knight's effect activates!" Aurora proclaimed. "When it's Synchro Summoned, all my Silverstream monsters gain 500 ATK!"

Eric grimaced in slight agitation as he witnessed both of her monsters gaining a power boost in the form of a silver coat of energy surrounding them.

"Now," she continued, "I activate Silverstream Empress's effect, giving Matron Knight 1000 more ATK!"

Once more, a glowing white energy cloaked Aurora's knight, so dense and powerful that the light rose to the sky in a single bright column.

"Silverstream Matron Knight," Aurora commanded, "attack Everbright Enchanter with Argent Calamity!"

Cocking an arrow into place, the red-haired knight unleashed a tremendous torrent of silver light at Eric's monster, skewering it with an overwhelmingly forceful energy beam and shattering it into a million pieces. In this one attack, Eric felt the sheer weight of her hatred towards men, the demons in her soul which empowered her with the evil promise of vengeance. Beyond the intangible holograms projected by her duel disk, his spirit burned from the poison of her resentment. (3800/2000)

_So sad_, Eric thought to himself. _Every one of her attacks is filled with so much sorrow and anger. It hurts so much. Yet somehow, with every attack I take, I feel a sense of bliss, like I'm seeing deeper into her soul and finding something else, something that isn't just rage and hatred. With each turn that passes, with each card played, I feel like I'm getting closer to finding the answer I'm looking for._

"Matron Knight lets me draw a card when it destroys a monster," Aurora explained. "Now, Silverstream Empress attacks you directly with Edict of Luster!"

A golden sword, sacred and holy in its very appearance, materialized above its target and plunged down upon him, striking him with a violent burst of blinding light and prompting a hoarse scream from Eric, who once more felt the cold, dark feelings of loathing which motivated the girl standing before him. (800/2000)

I can see it. Darkness. Fear. Hate. Despair. And something else, something buried deep beneath these emotions.

"Turn end," Aurora grinned, clearly exhilarated by the damage she managed to inflict on her prey.

Eric could feel the answer lurking inside him, so close that he could almost grasp it. He was down to his last few Life Points, his hand was empty, and his field was left with a single set card. Under these circumstances, any duelist would tremble in fear of not drawing the right card, of not being able to make it through their opponent's next turn. But at this moment, Eric wasn't the least bit afraid of defeat. To him, this next turn wasn't a matter of winning or losing. To him, it was a matter of confronting his uncertainty, of discovering the answer to the question he had always run away from.

_Who am I?_

"My turn," Eric declared.

_I'm not like the Dark Chasers. I'm not going to use pain to justify evil, and I won't let evil justify complacency._

"I activate my Trap card Moon's Ray of Giving. I discard 1 card to draw 1 card for each card you control. You have 2 monsters and 1 set card, so I draw 3 cards."

(You can discard 1 card from your hand to draw 1 card for each card on your opponent's side of the field)

_I'm not like my dad either. Preaching about ideals and leading by example won't eliminate the darkness in people's hearts._

"I activate my Spell card Soul Resurrection," Eric said. "This lets me summon a Light monster from my Graveyard. Revive, Brightglow Dragon!"

Rising from the ground emerged a translucent ball of light energy, which burst moments later to take the form of Eric's previously summoned dragon.

(Special Summon a level 4 or lower Light monster from your Graveyard)

_Sometimes, darkness isn't a sin or a weakness that should be reprimanded._

"Now," Eric declared, "I summon the Tuner monster Lunar Wing, which lets me draw a card when it's Normal Summoned."

Fluttering beside the adolescent dragon came a white bird with large silver wings, whose appearance prompted Eric to pluck a card from the top of his deck.

(Lunar Wing: Level 1/LIGHT/Winged-Beast/ATK-0 DEF-0/Effect-When this card is Normal Summoned, you can draw 1 card)

_Sometimes, darkness is what shapes a person's identity and makes them grow._

"I'm tuning level 1 Lunar Wing with level 4 Brightglow Dragon," Eric announced. "The shining moon guides all to prudence. Glisten brightly in your shadowy elegance! Synchro Summon! Howl, Lunar Wolf!"

Condensing into a black sphere of energy, Lunar Wing rose slowly in the air, drifting eerily before merging into the luminescent dragon's chest. Howling madly, the dragon became coated in an opaque cloud of murky dark clouds, veiling and dimming whatever light remained of it. After churning turbulently for several seconds, the blanket of darkness lifted, revealing a ravenous canine sporting a coat of silky gray fur, glaring at its opponents with savage yellow eyes.

_Sometimes, we need to stop trying to ignore or repress our darkness and accept it for what it truly is._

(Lunar Wolf: Level 5/LIGHT/Beast/ATK-2000 DEF-1000/Effect: When this card destroys a monster by battle, you can banish 1 LIGHT monster from your Graveyard to have it attack again)

"W-what the hell is that monster?" Aurora asked, shuddering at the sight of Eric's vicious beast.

"This card is the symbol of my inner darkness," Eric said sternly. "This card exists because of all the negative feelings in me, all the frustration, anger, jealousy, and hatred that had been repressed until I couldn't hold them in anymore. It's also a symbol of a sin I could never take back or make up for."

"So you're going to take your stress out on me," she growled furiously. "How typical of a misogynist pig."

"No," Eric countered. "You're going to take out yours on me."

"What do you mean?" Aurora hissed.

"All the hate you feel," Eric said, "all the revenge you want for every man who wronged you, give it all to me. I won't run away from the darkness in your heart."

The Dark Chaser stared at her opponent with an expression of shock, her sharp eyes so used to grimacing suddenly softening. However, almost immediately, she hardened her face once more and took a defensive stance.

"You're trying to trick me," she asserted furiously. "You're trying to make me lower my guard so you can take advantage of me! You goddamn son of a bitch!"

"Like I said," Eric replied, "I won't run. I set 1 card. Turn end."

"My turn!" Aurora declared. "I activate my Spell card Silver Javelin! I lower your monster's ATK to 0!"

As a long metallic spear appeared in the red-haired knight's hand, she arched backwards before swinging her body to hurl the weapon straight into the wolf's chest, fatally wounding it and triggering a howl of writhing pain.

(While you control a "Silverstream" monster, target 1 monster your opponent controls. Until the End Phase of this turn, that monster's ATK becomes 0)

"Next," she continued, "I activate Silver Blessing. My monsters can't be destroyed by card effects this turn!"

A ray of light shined down from the sky, granting both of Aurora's monsters a protective barrier of iridescent luster.

(Until the End Phase of this turn, your "Silverstream" monsters cannot be destroyed by monster, Spell, or Trap card effects)

"Burn in hell!" Aurora cursed. "Matron Knight with Empress's ATK bonus attacks Lunar Wolf! Argent Calamity!"

"I activate my Quick Spell Protection of the Moon," Eric interjected. "This turn, Lunar Wolf can't be destroyed by battle and doesn't take battle damage."

Once more, the female knight unleashed another arrow followed by a ruthless beam of overpowering light, searing Eric's wolf and subjecting it to indescribable agony. However, a wave of light descended upon the canine from the moon in the night sky, shielding it from destruction. Yet, Eric still felt the full brunt of his opponent's attack, immersed with the same bitter emotions growing ever stronger with her rage. And with each attack, Eric felt more and more of her internal suffering, like he was staring into the abyss of her soul, the darkness of her heart. There was no physical pain, but the aching in his heart which resonated with his opponent's was enough to render him breathless.

(When a LIGHT attribute monster you control battles with another monster, it cannot be destroyed in battle and you take no damage)

"You're not done, are you?" Eric said through heavy gasps. "Give me all your anger!"

"God damn it!" Aurora screamed in irritation. "Silverstream Empress, attack!"

As a golden sword materialized and cleaved through Eric's monster once again, Eric collapsed to one knee, unable to weather the suffocation in his chest caused by the complete consummation of the unbearable emotional pain Aurora had endured for her whole life. So immense was this misery that he began to see images of events in her life, flashing through his mind in a torrent of her most wretched memories. He had acquired all her inner darkness.

"I'm so sorry," Eric said, tearings streaming from his eyes, "that you had to go through these horrible things. No human being deserves this."

And just as he said this, Aurora felt a rush of warm emotions flood through her, emotions previously restrained by the anger inside of her. Her body felt light and free, devoid of pain and suffering. Eric had absorbed all of it into himself, freeing her from the darkness which had plagued and twisted her soul.

"Why?" Aurora cried, her blue eyes watering. "After all I've done to you, why don't you condemn me? Why don't you hate me? Why would you willingly take my pain?"

"Because I can't stand to see people suffering like this," Eric replied, wiping away his tears. "Even if there's nothing I can do to get rid of your pain, even if there's nothing I can do to make up for the things that happened to you, I can at least share your misery."

After hearing Eric's heartfelt words, Aurora broke down, bawling her heart out. Having always believed that all men were selfish scoundrels who abused those around them without a second thought, she felt the full weight of her guilt from having assaulted and scorned someone who not only meant her no harm but was also willing to take on her suffering. At this moment in time, having forgotten all the anger and hatred which had justified her actions before, she felt nothing but regret for what she had done and the utmost joy from having someone act so understanding towards her.

As she calmed down and wiped away her tears, Aurora looked into Eric's watery brown eyes, which wore the same broken look she had been all too used to.

_So pitiful_, she thought. _Is that what I looked like? Is that the kind of person I became?_

At that moment, forgot all about her mission. She couldn't bring herself to kill him, the first man who genuinely cared about her and understood her pain, the first man she could genuinely respect. Aurora wanted nothing more than to atone for all her sins and to spare him from any more pain.

"I surren-."

"No," Eric interrupted, prompting her to look up in shock.

"I don't want to continue this duel anymore," she pleaded. "I've already done so many terrible things to you. This is the most I can do to atone for what I did."

"No it's not," Eric dissented. "This isn't the way I want things to end."

"Then what do you want me to do?" Aurora shouted.

"That's something I've thought about over and over again," Eric said. "For as long as I can remember, all I've ever wanted was for people to respect each other and treat each other as equals, and for as long as I can remember, all I've seen was that it could never happen. Human beings are flawed creatures; they're weak, selfish, and ignorant of all the harm they do to others. Does there always have to be a winner and a loser? Do you think it's truly impossible for people to understand each other?"

"I," Aurora mumbled, "I don't know."

"Here's the answer I came up with," Eric said.

Closing his eyes, Eric breathed deeply. To Aurora's absolute shock, dark particles began to emerge from her body and flow towards Eric and, as she raised her head, she saw that the same was happening to him. These dark specks of energy assimilated and gathered into Eric's deck, coating the top card pitch black. She couldn't explain it, but for some reason, she felt the anger and bitterness inside her within that card, malicious, hateful, sinister.

"My turn," Eric declared, swinging his arm as he drew to create a black arc. "I summon the Tuner monster Regalia of Darkness."

The darkness gathered in the card Eric played escaped and swarmed onto the field, assembling to form a diamond crest bearing the image of a hideous man shrieking at the top of his lungs. A chill ran up Aurora's spine as she stared at it in horror.

(Regalia of Darkness: Level 3/DARK/Divine-Beast/ATK-0 DEF-0/Effect: When this card is used for a Synchro Summon, that monster cannot be destroyed by monster, Spell, or Trap card effects until the End Phase of the turn in which it was summoned. That monster can attack your opponent directly)

"Is that…?" she began.

"Yeah," Eric replied. "This monster was created from the negative emotions of both you and me. It represents all the darkness of mankind. It's a symbol of humanity's ugliness."

"It's horrible," Aurora whimpered, turning her head away from the awful sight of the shrieking man.

"Horrible but necessary," Eric said. "If I want to understand people, I first have to understand the darkness in their hearts. Instead of trying to fight against what I think is wrong, I've decided to embrace everyone's sins. Before I can become a beacon of light, I have to first become a vessel for people's darkness. This card is the symbol of that commitment."

"But that sounds so….sad," Aurora lamented. "How can you willingly live a life of so much pain and suffering? You'll drown in all that darkness."

"It won't be easy," Eric admitted. "But you're wrong about one thing."

"What do you mean?" she asked.

"Let me show you," Eric smiled. "I'm tuning level 5 Lunar Wolf with Level 3 Regalia of Darkness. The unwavering moon guides all to unity. Glisten brightly in your umbral mercy! Synchro Summon! Illuminate the darkness, Bright Shadow Lycan!"

Enlarging to a massive size, the diamond crest began to phase through the malicious wolf, injecting it with the feelings of hatred gathered from both Eric and Aurora. Consumed by the overwhelming negativity of this dark energy, Lunar Wolf started spasming, bursts of black plasma geysering out of its body each with the force of a volcanic eruption. With a final deafening shout, the wolf's body ruptured, creating a massive wave of black smoke that expanded in every direction and engulfed the field in utter darkness. Aurora stood lost in the the blindness of this eerie darkness, her heart beating uncontrollably from the terror and hopelessness this black world reminded her of.

However, from out of nowhere, a faint ray of light began to shine through the black mist, giving her a slight feeling of warmth, comfort, and something else. Slowly but surely, this light began to grow, becoming brighter and warmer with each passing second. Then, as the light expanded and dissipated the darkness, she saw the source of this gentle luminescence, a towering bipedal wolf-like creature with lush alabaster fur covered in pitch black armor, with the horrific diamond crest resting on the center of its head brace. At first, Aurora was terrified by its vile appearance, but the longer she gazed at it, the more she could see how bright and handsome it looked, exuding such a warm and pleasant light. It was then that she realized what it was she had been feeling from this creature of darkness amid her feelings of despair: hope.

(Bright Shadow Lycan: Regalia of Darkness + Lunar Wolf/Level 8/LIGHT/Beast/ATK-2800 DEF-2000/Effect-Once per turn, you can remove from play 1 Light attribute monster from the Graveyard to have this card gain its ATK. You can tribute this card to inflict damage to both players equal to this card's ATK)

"That's right," Eric smiled after seeing the blissful expression on her face. "I will consume everyone's darkness, but I won't be destroyed by it because it's not the only thing people have. Only from sadness can we understand happiness. Only from pain can we understand mercy. Only from darkness can we understand light. Beyond the dread and despair we feel lies kindness and hope. But sometimes, people are so lost in their darkness that they can't see past it. That's why I've decided to accept whatever darkness haunts them, so I can show them the light."

"The light?" she asked.

"Yeah," Eric nodded. "There's a light inside every human being, even you. You've experienced horrible things in your life that made you angry and spiteful, but that's not all. They've given you strength, perseverance, pride, and dignity. No one understands the darkness you've felt as well as you, but that's why it's so important for you to see the light inside yourself, so you can give hope to others who have also seen that darkness."

As she thought about what he said, she came to realize that he was right. She had been consumed by the anger she felt towards the men in her life who had done her wrong and allowed it to turn into a vicious hatred of all men in the world. Because of that, she had done so many awful things to so many people, things that she could never make up for. But now that she no longer felt the hatred and despair from her past, now that this man had taken it all from her, she began to see the light he was talking about, the hope which lay past her darkness.

"Please," she said with tears in her eyes, "end this."

"I activate Bright Shadow Lycan's effect," Eric declared. "I tribute it to deal 2800 points of damage to both of us."

Throwing its head back and howling gallantly at the moon, the armored werewolf unleashed a medley of golden energy, flowing through the night like a streaming river coursing in gentle circular patterns as they passed through both Eric and Aurora to give them one final wave of tender light. Both closed their eyes as they took in this last influx of warmth, allowing it to fill every inch of their bodies and wash away all the pain, even healing Aurora's wound on her forehead. Then, having expended all its power, the werewolf began to disintegrate into white particles, vanishing peacefully into the starry night sky. (0/0)

As the duel finished without a winner, the DED nullifier switched off, freeing Aurora from her barrier constraint. She was now free to attack Eric once more with no further obstruction. However, Eric stood still without the slightest sign of fear or defense, and Aurora stayed where she was without the slightest malicious intent. They both knew that the person standing before them was no longer an enemy.

"This is all I can do for you," Eric said. "There's nothing I can do to completely erase your darkness. Your memories will always be a part of you, and they will always influence your life. But now, it's up to you to decide how they define who you are."

"I know," she nodded. "At least for now, you've shown me a little bit of the light that lies beyond my pain. Now, it's up to me to find the rest of it."

"What will you do from now on?" Eric asked. "Go back to the Dark Chasers?"

"Yeah," she replied, lowering her eyes to the ground. "Even though you've shown me the ugliness of my hatred, my devotion still lies with the Dark Chasers who took me in when I had no one else. I won't betray them."

"I see," Eric sighed. "I still don't like it. But I respect your decision, Aurora."

"My name is Isabel," she smiled as she began to walk away. "Isabel Llyod."

Eric watched with a bittersweet grin as she departed, not turning away until she became a speck in the horizon. He then turned to look at the moon, half shining with an ethereal glow and half faded in the cold darkness of space.

_I'm sorry I couldn't become the kind of person you wanted me to be, dad,_ Eric said somberly to himself. _My light isn't strong enough to withstand all the darkness around me, much less wash it away. My light isn't as bright as yours._

He then pulled out the card which represented his inner darkness, staring at it with ambivalent feelings of disdain and acknowledgement.

_But I've learned that what people need isn't someone who can overpower the shadows in their hearts with a blinding light. It's someone who can understand and accept their darkness, and then show them their own light._

Closing his eyes, Eric slid the card into his deck, resolved to endure whatever pain it would bring him in the future.

_I know this isn't the answer you want._

_But it's the answer I've decided on._


	15. Chapter 15

Yu-Gi-Oh! D.T.

Chapter 15: Tranquil Convergence, The Crossroads of Darkness and Light

January 15, 3051 12:49 AM

Emerging from a violet portal, the blonde priest stumbled onto a concrete floor, tripping forward over her sagging black robe.

Ouch! she winced mentally. I simply abhor this blasted garment!

Opening her eyes, the young woman gasped in horror as she found herself sprawled over the edge of a tall building thousands of feet from the ground, causing her to recoil, step on the ruffles of her robe, and fall backwards.

"Ah!" she exclaimed aloud.

I can't believe it, she thought to herself as her face blushed red with embarrassment, huffing from exasperation and trembling from the pain on her tailbone. This is only my first day of duty and I am already making such a fool of myself. Surely, my ancestors are looking upon me from the spirit world in shame. Just how much more pathetic can I become?

Then, in the midst of berating herself, the young priest suddenly felt a powerful spike in duel energy, an energy that was pure and holy in nature. Immediately, her face lit up with a smile, as she knew this power couldn't be anything other than that of light, the rare form of spiritual energy which arose from feelings of hope and righteousness rather than dread and despair. And when she poked out her head to see the source of this power, her smile disappeared as quickly as it had formed. One look at the guardian who emitted this energy was enough to drive her back towards the structure she had arrived behind, filling her body with absolute fear.

_Such brutality,_ she whimpered to herself, kneeling and quivering on the floor. _He used his power in such a violent manner. A guardian with the power of light! How could this be?_

She tried to think of reasons to explain this contradiction of her knowledge. Perhaps what she saw was an unfortunate moment in the man's battle against his opponent, an incident which gave little credit for the affirmation of his resolve or the discovery of his true reason for fighting. Or perhaps it was simply due to his inability to control his new powers. Maybe he didn't know how much strength to put into his attack.

But no matter what explanations she came up with, she understood the objective implications of what she had seen: this guardian had fought with every intention of bringing the utmost pain to his opponent. The realization that the guardians of light she had always idolized were capable of such malice was enough to fill her body with an icy feeling of dread. This was a decisive moment for her, as it comprised her first impression of her first guardian, an impression which established a negative view, immediate suspicion, and unshakeable fear of him and his motives.

_I wanted a guardian of light, a warrior of hope,_ she said to herself, _but this man...what is he?_

January 15, 3051 1:03 AM

"You went a little overboard," Gareth said, glaring at the towering beast which still remained on the field despite the duel ending.

The gargantuan lion with flaming wings, bright orange fur, and shining gold armor turned to look at the unconscious Dark Chaser lying pitifully on the ground, wounded and bruised by the overwhelming power of the last attack.

"He tried to kill you," the griffon spoke. "Therefore, he forfeited his right to live. Isn't that the rule in the business of murder?"

"But it's not mine," Gareth contested. "I've learned to stay faithful to my morals no matter what others may do. I won't stoop to the level of my enemies."

"Sure," it replied, "but do these morals of yours include inflicting pain to your opponents? You wanted to defeat your opponent without killing him, so this much should be fine, no?"

"You're right," Gareth frowned, "but for someone with your power, you should've been able to subdue him without inflicting unnecessary damage."

"My power?" the griffon smirked. "My power is nothing but a physical manifestation of your will. You desired to inflict pain to your opponent, and so it was done."

"That's…," Gareth muttered, unable to come up with a response.

"It's true that I sensed a very powerful desire within you not to kill your opponent," the griffon continued. "I sensed an even stronger desire to save the people you failed to protect. But also present was a deep anger, an insatiable urge to make your opponent suffer. This was what your heart truly desired. And so it was done."

He couldn't deny it. No matter how much he spoke of justice, Gareth admitted that an integral part of his motivations was the fury he felt towards immoral evildoers, a rage which inevitably led to dark and violent thoughts. Behind his flowery words, there was always a hidden fear that his actions were driven by the impulse to satisfy his hatred, a secret desire to make his opponents suffer. But in the eyes of this beast, which stared into the deepest shadows of Gareth's soul, nothing was hidden. They saw clearly the light and darkness in Gareth's heart. As he faced the truth behind his actions, Gareth found himself gritting his teeth in agitation and misery.

"Don't tell me you're falling back into despair already?" the griffon teased. "After all that work I did to try and save you, I would think that you could hold onto your fleeting hope for at least a little longer."

Upon hearing the beast's words, Gareth once more acknowledged that he was right. Gareth had always known that evil existed in everyone; he knew this better than anyone. Admittedly, he shouldn't have been surprised to realize that he too had the capacity for evil. But as the griffon had told him, the important thing was the ability to stand up and continue fighting despite all the hardships he endured, to face all the darkness and evil of the world undaunted and unafraid. Even if his heart became tainted, even if he walked a path of hypocrisy, as long as he found the courage to stand back up, Gareth knew that he would never lose hope again. And the one who ignited his hope was the creature he was currently speaking to.

"Yeah," Gareth grinned, "you'd make one hell of a motivational speaker. Thanks, er….."

"My birth name is Grypateos," the beast replied. "But I have been called Gryp by past guardians."

"It's Gryp then," he smiled. "I'm Gareth Basilius."

"Basilius, huh?" Gryp chuckled. "Of course. I should've guessed."

"What do you mean by that?" Gareth inquired. "And what did you mean by guardians? What exactly are you?"

"All excellent questions I could answer," the griffon replied, "but I think I'll leave that job to the person in charge."

"Person in charge?" Gareth asked.

"It's about time you came out," Gryp said, turning his head a full one-eighty.

From behind the staircase leading to the roof of the building they were standing on emerged a young woman with flowing blonde hair dressed in a long, oversized gown, approaching them nervously while staring at the ground to avoid making eye contact. Gareth narrowed his eyes in cautiousness as she walked closer to him, unaware of who she was or why she was here. When she was a little more than a meter away from him, she stopped.

"Y-you are a guardian of Ingenia," she said weakly, still averting her eyes. "P-please fight to save the world."

Gareth raised an eyebrow as he struggled to make sense of what she said.

"Oh Sandra," the griffon sighed, "we've rehearsed this hundreds of times already. You begin by telling them your name and who you are."

"M-my name is Kassandr…..," she whispered, her last words trailing off inaudibly.

"Remember what I told you," Gryp lectured, "when you're speaking to somebody, it's important to speak clearly and to make eye contact."

"My name is Kassandra Amnistia!" she blurted as she threw her head forward.

Their eyes met for one brief second before she turned away, her shoulders heaving as she whimpered softly.

"I can't do this!" she shouted through tears as she ran away, fleeing down the stairs.

Gareth stood still with his eyes wide open, shocked by what had just occurred. As he looked to the griffon for any clue as to what had happened, he found the same expression of surprise, followed by a sigh of disappointment.

"She has a long way to go," Gryp exhaled.

"I see," Gareth nodded, still puzzled.

"And you," the griffon groaned as he faced the young man, "have no delicacy."

"I see…," Gareth nodded once more, his eyes closing with realization.

"Come with me," Gryp suddenly said as he began to move.

"You know where she went?" Gareth asked.

"No," the griffon replied, narrowing its eyes, "but I know where she'll be in a bit."

Mysterious cards appearing in his deck. A gigantic mythical beast standing right in front of him. Supernatural phenomena occurring left and right. A strange woman appearing before him and running away immediately. All of them speaking in vague terms. Gareth had absolutely no idea what was happening. But he knew that if he wanted answers, he had no choice but to comply. After commanding his duel runner with a remote control to come to him via autopilot, Gareth began to follow the griffon down the stairs.

January 15, 3051 2:02 AM

With a clear image of those dark eyes in her mind, the priest's body froze with fear and trepidation. Due to the fact that he had unlocked the Regalia of Light, the symbol of hope and courage worn only by a select few guardians, she had expected him to be a kindred spirit, an upstanding crusader of love and hope. Instead, she saw the dark murky sadness of all the world's sins, crying with the agony of eternally bitter memories and screaming with a hateful vengeance. Standing inside a world occupied entirely by white space, she wore the same terrified expression on her blood-drained face, with only one thought pervading her mind.

_How has this man not fallen to darkness?_

Then, she remembered something else she saw in those dark eyes, the raging passionate flame within him, the indomitable will of a bloodstained survivor to purge the world of evil. It was a cruel flame, wishing nothing more than to destroy its enemies by searing them, incinerating them, and mercilessly burning them to their last pitiful ashes. But at the same time, it was a bright and courageous flame, giving hope to those who had lost it by burning proudly with an inexplicable might. Though a symbol of light in his own right, this man, Gareth Basilius, held no quality of tenderness or affection whatsoever.

He was a man she disliked the moment she laid eyes on him.

He was a man whose very presence consumed her with fear.

Given her first encounter with a guardian, the blonde priest felt hesitant about meeting the other one, especially because she had sensed an aura of darkness from him. However, considering the fact that a guardian of light had betrayed her expectations, she saw the possibility of the same happening for a guardian of darkness. Taking a deep breath and steeling her nerves, she waved her hand to open another portal and stepped in, holding desperately onto the hope that she would be pleasantly surprised by her second guardian.

January 15, 3051 2:03 AM

Eric sat on the roof of his apartment, gazing longingly at the moon, full and bright in the midst of a black and starless sky. The night air was cool and fresh, with the occasional breeze whistling through the trees to create a soft, gentle rustle, soothing to the ear and soul. Although Eric had always preferred the fiercer winds which surged past him as he sped down a highway on his duel runner, winds that made him feel free and alive, he found the mellow, almost haunting, peace of this scene strangely enjoyable. The shrieking of the wind was eerie yet placid, and the chirping of the crickets was ominous yet calming. He felt as though everything in nature was functioning as it should, both the beautiful and the hideous, coexisting in harmony as they orchestrated the symphony of the night. It was the first time in months, if not years, that Eric had felt this content with himself and the world, a contentment which stemmed from a profound enlightenment he had achieved from seeing the darkness of the world in a new light, and within that light, a whole new world altogether.

Or perhaps the transformation in Eric which contributed even more significantly to his change in worldview was an increased attunement to his senses, or, more precisely, his sixth sense. Although he had always possessed a strong intuition which had served him with an uncanny degree of accuracy, he now felt doubly sure of his senses, the nature of which he found rather puzzling himself. It was as though he could somehow see an aura encircling everything around him, each with a unique color symbolizing something about it: characteristics, motivations, intentions, thoughts. These auras were accompanied by strong feelings Eric felt about them: admiration, trust, fascination, caution, fear, dislike. For anyone else, it would be easy to think that he had obtained the truth of the universe, but Eric felt little more than ambivalent about these new powers of his, as he understood immediately that they were a double-edged sword. What he found wasn't omnipotence or omniscience. With every new piece of knowledge he obtained, a new mystery arose. With every new light discovered, a new darkness emerged. With every new joy came a new sadness.

Regardless of whether the hand fate dealt him was convenient or cruel, Eric found that he had no way to shut off this enhanced vision. At first, this was a frightening prospect for him, as his imagination cursed him with all the things he would be losing from a world whose colors he no longer recognized. Yet, as he watched the moon with its unchanging brilliance and the sky surrounding it with ever constant darkness, Eric felt comforted by the fact that some things never changed. As for the things that did, Eric concluded in his mind that he would do to them as he decided to do for everything else that frightened him: learn to accept them for what they were.

Just then, a mysterious energy signature appeared nearby him almost instantaneously. Eric furrowed his brows as he sensed the magnitude of this person's energy, much higher than that of a typical person's. Even more worrying was the fact that he didn't sense this person approaching from a distance, as the radius of his enhanced senses reached nearly a fifty meters. Eric's first thought was that whoever this individual was, they weren't normal. However, he wasn't particularly afraid of them, as the aura emitted from them appeared to be a murky, darkish blue, a color he had come to recognize as harmless. Curious to find out who it was, Eric stood up, hopped off of the roof, and proceeded to make his way towards his mysterious visitor.

However, as soon as he began walking, he sensed the bluish energy source backing away, as though whoever was there didn't want to be seen by him. Squinting his eyes, Eric saw the aura turn a darker shade of blue, which, for all he knew, was a bad sign. Even more curious was the fact that Eric was not within this person's range of vision, meaning that they too were perceiving Eric's presence by some other means. Although he didn't want to frighten this mysterious individual, he was also curious as to who this person was. Stuck between the choice of sparing someone anxiety and obtaining the answers he sought, Eric chose the former, his reasoning being similar to that of his decision to embrace the power of darkness: to free others from their pain.

Immediately, Eric stopped and proceeded to return to his apartment, when suddenly, he felt this bluish aura move towards him, growing lighter and softer in color. Although he didn't fully understand what these colors meant, he somehow felt that this was, if not good, at least better than before. Smiling to himself as he sensed the blue energy approaching faster, Eric took a seat on the sidewalk curb in front of his apartment door, patiently waiting for the stranger to reveal him or herself. As the aura moved closer and closer, he couldn't help but imagine a shy animal reluctant to approach someone until it knew for a fact that no harm would come to it. Even when he caught the first glimpse of his follower's glassy blue eyes peeking from a brick wall with a long strand of golden hair hanging from the side, Eric was reminded of a timid puppy with one ear dangling from its tilted head. So uncanny was the similarity that Eric was unable to hold in his laughter.

January 15, 3051 2:07 AM

_I knew it!_ Sandra thought to herself. _I knew I looked ridiculous in this robe! Oh, I could die of embarrassment right now!_

Pulling her head back into the cover of the building she stood behind, the priest placed her hands to her face, warm and flushed from the thought of others mocking and looking down on her.

_I cannot do this!_ she squealed mentally. _First a scary gorilla and now a mean bully laughing at me! And worst of all, he is a guardian of darkness! This is too much! I cannot do this! I really cannot!_

Whimpering to herself, Sandra fell to a crouch and wrapped her arms around her knees, flustered by the various stresses she felt from the circumstances of her duty.

_Why me?_ she thought miserably to herself. _Out of everyone else, why was I chosen to be priest? Why do I have to-?_

"Hi there," a voice said from behind her.

"Eek!" Sandra shrieked as she sprang up to her feet, smashing her head against something hard.

An acute, throbbing pain surged through her skull as she grasped the top of her head and screamed sharply, feeling hot tears roll down her face. At the same time, she heard a loud, muffled growl from behind her, repeatedly moaning in short intervals in rhythm with a shadow swaying back and forth. For the next minute or so, nothing could be heard but the pained groaning of two individuals, one high and sharp, the other deep and stifled.

It wasn't until the stinging on her head fully disappeared that Sandra turned around to see what had happened. To her horror and disgust, she stood less than half a meter from a young man with long black hair, grasping his nose with hands covered in a dark red fluid.

"I am sorry!" she blurted worriedly. "Dear god, I am so sorry!"

"It's not your fault," the youth chuckled, his words muffled by his hands. "I guess this is what I get for sneaking up behind you like that."

Sandra watched with a lingering sense of guilt as he wiped his nose in one long stroke, leaving a smeared trail of red across his face. From the light of the street lamps which illuminated the dark alley, she could see with his hands out of the way that his face, bony yet soft in complexion, was rather handsome. His light brown eyes reflected a gentle kindness, but also a hint of profound sadness that ran deeper than the black abyss of his pupils. Without a doubt, she could tell that he was a guardian of darkness. Yet, he also exuded a brilliant, warm light unlike any she had ever seen. The dark aura she felt from him made her uncomfortable, but somehow, his genuine smile put her at ease.

"I didn't mean to scare you," he said weakly while scratching his head. "It was just taking you a while so I thought it'd be easier if I just came to you."

"I am sorry," Sandra pouted, lowering her eyes.

"So anyway," the man said, trying to change the subject, "did you want something from me? Or was it 'him' that you were looking for?"

"Him?" she asked with a puzzled look.

"Yeah," he replied, pulling out a card from his pocket.

"That is-!" she exclaimed, her eyes widening as they recognized the savage werewolf depicted on the card. "Lykos!"

"So you do know him," he grinned. "Good, now I can complain to someone who knows how much a of dick he is."

_D-dick?_ Sandra pondered, unaware of what the word meant. However, she didn't want to give him the impression that she was ignorant, afraid that he would see her as a different person, look down on her, alienate her, outcast her, and shun her.

"Uh never mind," the man chuckled awkwardly, becoming aware of her incomprehension of colloquial expressions. "Let's just say he's not the nicest of people. Or wolves? Or….?"

"Ingenian spirits," she finished for him.

Oh no! she thought mentally. I said a word he never heard before! And I also said 'spirits!' Humans think ghosts and spirits do not exist! Now he will think of me as a lunatic! Now he will judge me for being different! He will never look at me the same again! He will hate me!

Sandra clutched her arms with her hands, turning away to avoid what she imagined to be his condescending gaze. She remembered the way the first guardian had reacted to her, his disdainful expression stabbing into her mind. She squeezed her eyes shut, bracing herself for something: a laugh, a phrase, anything he could say to make her heart bleed.

She was about to run away once more when suddenly, she felt a powerful explosion of light energy from him, soft and kind, gentle and warm. Somehow, she felt this golden light flood into her, dispelling whatever anxiety she felt and embracing her with the soothing touch of an angel.

Slowly, she raised her eyes to meet his, seeing a amiable expression with a reassuring smile, without the slightest hint of condescension. Yet, also visible was a kind of sorrow, even more than she had seen the first time she saw his face. At that moment, she knew what he had done.

"You don't have to be afraid," he said softly. "It doesn't matter who you are or what you've done. I will never hurt you or hate you. Let's just start over, okay?"

Her heart rate returning to normal and her nerves calming down, Sandra nodded her head in agreement.

"My name is Eric Lambert," he said, holding out his hand. "What's yours?"

"I am called Kassandra Amnistia," she replied as she slowly moved her hand towards his.

Right before touching, she pulled her hand back, scared of what he might do. However, as she looked at him again, she saw no change in his warm expression or his golden aura. No matter how much she hesitated or shuddered, he didn't show any sign of anger or impatience. It was at this moment that she knew she could trust him.

"But you can call me Sandra," she said, taking his hand.

"Nice to meet you, Sandra," Eric smiled.

"The pleasure is mine," she smiled back weakly.

"So, Sandra," Eric said, "what brings you here?"

"I came to meet you," she replied. "You are an Ingenian guardian."

"What exactly is an Ingenian guardian?" Eric asked.

"Ingenia is a secret clan that maintains the peace on Earth," Sandra answered. "We serve as a medium between the human world and the spirit world where Duel Monsters spirit live. Guardians are special humans chosen to defend the Earth from evil forces using the power of these spirits."

"So there are spirits inside the cards?" Eric asked. "Living spirits that we can communicate with?"

"Duel Monsters spirits are sentient creatures which exist as a form of energy," she clarified. "Most are harmless lifeforms that possess emotions but very little intelligence. Most of the cards artificially produced on Earth give birth to such spirits. Others are very powerful and wise, such as the ones you call the Signer Dragons."

"Somehow, I always knew," Eric smiled to himself. "I always felt close to my deck. In fact, I've always thought of my cards as my closest friends."

"Candidates to become Ingenian guardians are characterized by a powerful connection to Duel Monsters spirits," Sandra explained. "I believe you call this 'duel energy' in your world?"

"I see," Eric nodded. "So I was chosen because I have a lot of duel energy."

"That is only partially correct," Sandra said. "Even with a strong connection to spirits, a human cannot become a guardian until they make a contract with an Ingenian regalia beast, the most powerful class of Duel Monsters spirit."

"Lykos," Eric said, pulling Bright Shadow Lycan out of his pocket. "So he's my regalia beast."

"That is correct," she nodded.

"Then what's this?" Eric asked, showing her his Regalia of Darkness card.

"That is the symbol of your contract," Sandra answered. "It represents the condition you established with your regalia beast to obtain guardian powers. The Regalia of Light symbolizes hope, while the Regalia of Darkness symbolizes despair; regalia beasts often dictate which a guardian receives, as each spirit feeds on different emotions."

"Despair, huh?" Eric smiled. "I guess that fits me pretty well."

"I don't understand," Sandra frowned. "Someone as kind and understanding as you shouldn't have become a guardian of darkness. How did this happen?"

"In a way," Eric said, "I think it makes a lot of sense. I'm not too fond of darkness and despair, and I can't say I like Lykos very much either, but in the end, I'm thankful for what happened."

"I still do not agree with this," Sandra frowned.

_But I suppose I am thankful as well,_ she smiled softly to herself, lowering her head to hide her blushing.

"So," Eric continued, "are you a guardian too?"

"Oh no," Sandra said, shaking her head. "I am far too weak, and I am simply terrified of battle. I am an Ingenian priest. My duty is to guide and oversee the guardians as they fight."

"I see," Eric nodded. "And what is it we're supposed to be fighting?"

"Ingenia exists to protect the Earth from forces that threaten its peace," Sandra explained. "The evil which poses the greatest threat at this moment is a secret organization that abuses Duel Monster spirits for its own base desire to control the world."

"The Dark Chasers," Eric said, furrowing his brows.

"That is correct," Sandra affirmed, lowering her eyes.

"Well," Eric said, "you'll be happy to know that Ingenia isn't the only one that hates the Dark Chasers. My friend owns a company whose entire purpose is to fight them."

"Your friend?" Sandra asked, confused by what he meant.

"Yeah," he nodded, "his name's Gareth. He-."

Suddenly, just as Eric was speaking, she felt a powerful source of energy approaching them. Immediately recognizing it, Sandra's body shook with fear as a terrifying image filled her mind: a pair of dark piercing eyes burning her alive. Panicking and terror-stricken by her memory, she summoned a violet portal with a wave of her hand and dashed inside, unable to bear the sight of the man who was quickly emerging.

January 15, 3051 2:39 AM

"It looks like she disappeared again," Gryp said, making an abrupt stop from his run.

"God damn," Gareth groaned, stomping on the brakes of his duel runner. "What exactly is her problem?"

"Her problem is you," the armored griffon replied sardonically. "I guess you scared her so much that she's afraid to even look at you now."

"Here's a monster calling me a monster," Gareth said jeeringly to the beast. "So now what? She's gone and we're all the way here. What's so important about her that we have to chase her everywhere anyway?"

"You should be grateful to her," the winged lion chided. "You're only alive right now because of her."

"I honestly wish you could stop talking in riddles and just give me a clear answer," Gareth sighed. "And I wish my so-called savior would stop moving long enough for me to give her the thanks that she is supposedly due."

"Patience, Gareth," Gryp said. "I could've answered your questions anytime I wanted. I justed wanted to give her a hands-on learning experience in communicating with a guardian. It's her first time doing this and she really isn't cut out for this kind of job."

"I can tell," Gareth grumbled. "So what do we do now? Keep following her? I can tell you right now, it's impossible to catch her without knowledge of predictable teleport locations or viable bait, which isn't even considering the fact that she can somehow detect my presence."

"You've got some nerve talking about her like she's some kind of prey you're trying to hunt," the griffon growled. "Have you ever considered that she might come to you if you just acted a little nicer?"

"I…," Gareth paused, once again stumped by Gryp's words. "Screw you."

"That's what I thought," the griffon smirked, satisfied with his victory. "Anyway, I don't think it's necessary, if even possible, to chase her anymore. It seems she'd already made contact with another guardian, and with much greater success than you to be sure."

"Uh huh," Gareth said with a hint of annoyance. "So, you want to meet this 'guardian,' whatever that means?"

"Up to you," Gryp replied, "if he doesn't get to you first."

Facing forward, Gareth noticed a figure moving towards him, his face obscured by the darkness of the night. Dismounting his duel runner, Gareth began walking towards this figure, stretching his fingers to prepare for the worst.

Gryp called this guy a guardian, Gareth thought to himself. That means that he has the same powers as me, powers that honestly scare me a bit more that I'd like. If this guy is capable of whatever I am, then I need to be ready for anything he throws at me.

As he neared the figure, Gareth saw through the streetlights that the person's silhouette was rather thin and he walked with an untrained step, meaning that his reaction speed was mostly likely slow, making him vulnerable to an attack.

But if he has the same supernatural powers as me, Gareth thought, then physical characteristics mean little to nothing. If he's better at controlling his powers, he can fry me in less than a second. I'm going to need all the concentration I can muster to predict his moves, and all the luck in the world to not get hit by whatever he does.

When he was within ten meters of the figure, however, Gareth immediately eased his tense body and began moving more quickly towards it.

"Eric," Gareth smiled, happy to see his friend for the first time in weeks.

"I see you've become a guardian as well," Eric smiled back. "If that glowing aura of light around you isn't a clear enough sign, then that giant animal standing behind you is."

"And you?" Gareth asked. "From the smile on your face, I assume becoming a guardian helped you get over your depression?"

"Yes and no," Eric replied. "I just hope you don't decide to punch me again. That hurt a little more than a bit."

"Oh I wouldn't dare," Gareth chuckled. "I don't think it's a good idea to incur the wrath of someone who can sick a monstrous beast on me."

The last time they had met, Eric was drowned in the deepest sorrows from having lost his precious Moonstar Dragon to the Dark Chaser general he was approached by, as well as the stress of having his father's principles challenged after living his whole life abiding by them. Then, at the worst of times, he ended up murdering a Dark Chaser he fought against when he first unlocked his powers, overwhelming him with sadness and confusion. So deep was Eric's grief that no matter what Gareth did, he couldn't get through to him. Then, Gareth found himself dealing with problems of his own, problems that made him question his purpose and identity to the point of stress and fatigue. In the last couple weeks, both of them had endured arduous trials that tested their mental fortitude and willpower to excruciating limits. In the last couple weeks, they had both been to hell and back.

The last time they saw each other, they had parted with darkness and confusion in both of their hearts, unsure if they were even friends anymore. Yet now, as they gazed into each other's eyes and felt each other's energies, they knew that they had both discovered the answers to their problems. They knew that things were right between them again.

"I don't mean to be rude," Gryp cut in, "but I'm going to have to interrupt your idle chatter. Did you meet with Sandra?"

"Yeah," Eric answered, turning to face the winged lion. "I was just talking to her when she disappeared all of a sudden. I'm guessing something scared her off."

"How 'bout you take a guess?" Gryp said, throwing an accusatory glare at Gareth.

"I guess some things don't change," Eric laughed as his friend stuffed his hands in his pockets and tapped his feet with an annoyed expression.

"Ha ha ha," Gareth said sarcastically. "So, how long did you last before she ran away from you? Did you actually manage to learn anything from her?"

"You're really bitter about this, aren't you?" Eric smirked.

"Yup," the griffon answered for him, prompting a snicker from Eric.

"Shut up," Gareth frowned. "Just tell me what you know already."

"Sure," Eric said, "but first, I need to talk to you about something important. I need your help."

"Oh?" Gareth's eyes widened. "A request from you? That's rare. What is it?"

Gareth watched with curious interest as Eric closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He could tell that whatever Eric was thinking, it was something that made him very uncomfortable, something that he had been pondering over for a very long time. The longer Eric remained silent, the more Gareth wanted to know exactly what it was that he wanted, and what it was that troubled him about it. If it was some kind of moral issue, the pundit in Gareth wanted to discuss the problem and give his opinion on it. However, he knew as Eric's friend that whatever he was asking for was something important to him, something that he and he alone had decided on. Out of respect for Eric, Gareth felt obligated to trust him, no matter what he asked.

At that moment, Eric opened his eyes, ready to declare his request.

As Gareth stared into his eyes full of resolve, he steeled himself, believing in Eric without a single doubt in his heart until the words left his mouth.

"I want to join D.T. Corporation."


	16. Chapter 16

Yu-Gi-Oh! D.T.

Chapter 16: Trouble Stirring, A Stormy Prelude to Battle

January 22, 3051 11:55 PM

"What are you thinking about?" asked a deep voice echoing through the stone chambers of the Ingenian temple.

Gasping in surprise, Sandra bumped against her wooden study desk as she shot up from her seat and spun her head to see a golden sphere of energy levitating inside her room.

"Oh Gryp," she sighed of relief, "you frightened me."

"My apologies," the Ingenian regalia beast chuckled, "but you were so lost in your thoughts that you didn't sense me approaching."

"I…," Sandra began, lowering her head in acknowledgement of Gryp's words, "I'm sorry."

"No no, this is a good thing. I've never seen you smiling so blissfully before."

"Was I…?" the priest blushed. "I must have been pleased with seeing the outside world for the first time after so long."

"It's been twelve years. That's a long time. Do you think the world's changed since you've last seen it?"

"Probably not as dramatically as you have witnessed in your lifetime," Sandra smiled. "But yes, it is very different. The buildings. The trees. The people."

"Speaking of people," Gryp began, "don't you think it's a good idea to become more familiar with Gareth? It's not beneficial for a priest to have poor relationships with her guardians."

"Please do not ask this of me," she pleaded, stroking her long hair. "I cannot bear to face that dreadful man. He terrifies me to the core."

"You'll have to face him eventually," Gryp sighed. "Plus, you didn't seem to have any trouble talking to your other guardian."

"Because he is…." Sandra began before her words trailed off and her face grew red.

"Oh."

"G-gryp!" she stammered. "You misunderstand! I am not-!"

"Oh I see," the spirit repeated. "So that's what you were daydreaming about."

"Gryp, please stop your teasing!" Sandra begged. "I assure you, he is-!"

"Uh huh," it replied in a skeptical tone as it began to leave. "Of course."

"Gryp!" Sandra called out once more before its energy signature disappeared.

Sighing to herself, she fell back into her chair, burrowing her face in her arms rested over the wooden desk.

_Why me?_

January 23, 3051 1:05 AM

Draped in a fraying gray robe, Olivia walked silently along the dark and narrow alleys of Amelda City. As she passed the homeless, drunk, and decrepit denizens of the garbage-lined neighborhood, her eyes constantly shifted, completely attentive of every movement and sound around her. Paying little heed to the curious glances, Olivia continued straight along her path, passing by society's outcasts of progressively wretched and odorous proportions. Yet, she showed no signs of revulsion or terror, wearing only a hard expression with cold eyes that didn't blink or waiver from the hideousness of the world around her.

Her calm demeanor was not a result of confidence in her combat abilities or distrust of others, but rather a professional trademark of those in her line of work. As an information broker, it was essential to maintain a stable and rational state of mind in order to process the events around her, memorize the slightest of details, and compound her gatherings into valuable pieces of information. The next part was analyzing this information to deduce the truth hidden behind the various obscure clues left behind. For example, she noticed that the next homeless man she walked by did not raise his head. He was wearing an old fleece coat to maintain the illusion of being poor, one that he had probably taken from the druggy shivering across from him. Unfortunately, he had failed to mask his pair of recently-polished leather shoes, ones that weren't too expensive considering the sloppiness of his work.

Before she reached her contact at the corner of the alleyway, she had counted five attackers.

"Do you have the information?" she asked a short middle-aged man whose face was covered by a black top hat. "Where's the person who claims to have known Genesis Celeste?"

"You first," he smiled.

"That's not how this works," Olivia said sternly.

"Oh but I believe it is," the man smirked. "I have the more valuable piece of intel so you have to offer your bit first."

"I wouldn't mess with me if I were you," she threatened, brandishing a razor sharp knife.

"Come now," the man said without a hint of worry. "Let's not resort to violence here. People like us do business with our minds, not our fists."

"Don't lump me in with scum like you," Olivia scowled, raising her weapon. "I'm nothing like you."

"No," the man snickered, "I suppose you're not."

Raising his head to reveal a pair of wicked green eyes, the man snapped his fingers and chuckled, his laughter growing increasingly sharp. However, after several seconds of waiting, the reinforcements he had expected did not arrive, prompting his squeals to subside and a concerned wrinkle to appear on his forehead.

"You," he growled, "you…."

"Like I said," Olivia smirked, "I'm nothing like you. I'm much smarter."

His lips quivering, the man spun around in an attempt to flee, only to find himself pinned to the ground in a matter of seconds with Olivia's knife at his groin.

"And," she said tauntingly, "I'm much better at my job."

January 23, 3051 10:43 AM

Standing behind the metal double doors of Gareth's office on the twentieth floor of the D.T. Corporation Headquarters building, Aja Donahue tapped her feet and bit her lip as she tried to think about what her boss was doing in his room with that man. As the doors were soundproofed, she couldn't hear a single word they were saying to each other, but she suspected they were up to something. Gareth always was.

In her four years of employment at D.T. Corporation, she had never seen Gareth act so secretive until he began seeing that man. She had studied Eric Lambert's record on the company's database but found no reason why Gareth, a man she had always thought of as cunning and intelligent, would be interested in a poor orphan who graduated from Duel Academy as a measly Slifer.

_Well,_ she thought to herself while curling her short blonde hair with her finger, _I guess I have some ideas. It's true that I've never seen him interested in any woman…_

Aja shook her head, trying to purge from her mind the idea that Gareth would jeopardize the company's well-being for something so trivial. Yet, at the same time, she had little reason to believe everything he had done was for the good of D.T. Corporation. Ever since he began interacting with that man two and a half months ago, Gareth had been less focused during board meetings and keeping more secrets from her and her coworkers. He spent countless days paying suspicious visits to Truesdale Town to meet this Eric Lambert and even more days locked away in his office doing God knows what. Even if she didn't know exactly what their relationship was, she knew that he was a distraction for Gareth.

As part of her duty as battle commander, Aja determined that in order to strengthen D.T. Corporation's combat power and optimize the company's operations, it was necessary to confront Gareth about her concerns and remind him of his priorities. Then, she would speak to Eric Lambert and make him stay away from Gareth, by any means necessary. It was for these two reasons that she waited outside his office for them to finish their business.

When the door opened several minutes later, she found herself staring directly at Gareth's face, glaring at her with dark judging eyes as though he had been aware of her presence from the beginning. Taken aback, Aja stumbled backwards before regaining her balance and standing straight to give a formal military salute.

"Sir," she began, "I need to talk to you about someth-."

"Aja," Gareth interrupted, "this is Eric Lambert. From now on, he will be a soldier here at D.T. under my direct command. Please provide him with a room and give him a tour of our facilities."

"Nice to meet you," Eric smiled politely, holding out his hand.

Aja grimaced as she scanned his lazily-combed hair and simple attire: a plain white T-shirt, a pair of old faded jeans, and a set of dirty sneakers. Furious at his disregard for the professional atmosphere of the company, she shot him a dirty look before ignoring him and turning back to face Gareth.

"Under your direct command?" she asked. "The only ones who have that rank are battle commanders!"

"Is there a problem?" Gareth said, furrowing his brows threateningly.

"With all due respect sir," Aja replied, "battle commander is a privileged rank that can only be achieved by the most skilled and distinguished of soldiers. How can an untrained and inexperienced rookie be given such an important position of leadership?"

"I can vouch for his skills," Gareth rebutted. "As for experience, that can be obtained with time."

"But sir!" Aja exclaimed. "You can't-!"

"Can't what?" Gareth growled, wearing a dark expression.

"Gareth," Eric cut in, "she has a point. I don't think I'm qualified for this either."

"Let me deal with this," Gareth silenced him before turning back to Aja. "The assignment of this rank is my executive decision. You have no say in this matter."

"My duty as a battle commander-!"

"Is to obey me," Gareth said, raising his voice.

"That's not true," a deep, calm voice suddenly cut in.

Turning around, Aja's expression lit up as she saw Dylan Hewitt quickly approaching them.

"Dylan," Gareth glared, "what are you trying to say?"

"Her duty as a battle commander is to make decisions that maximize our organization's military power," the chief of finance explained. "Therefore, if she feels that something is interfering with the realization of that goal, she has the right to raise an objection."

"And as owner of this company," Gareth said firmly, "I have the right to refuse it."

"Not if it conflicts with your responsibilities as CEO," Dylan interjected. "You have an obligation to this company's well-being. If one of your employees raises a valid complaint, which Miss Donahue here has, then for the sake of the company, it is your duty to see to the issue and fix it."

"Even if I accept the premise of your argument," Gareth frowned, "it is still undetermined whether Aja's complaint is a valid one."

"Seeing as hiring an unqualified battle commander can pose disastrous consequences for the our resources, our success in our battle against the Dark Chasers, and many of our soldiers' lives, I do believe that Miss Donahue's concerns regarding Mr. Lambert's competence are undisputedly valid."

"Dylan," Gareth said darkly, "you're exceeding your authority."

"Not remotely. As chief of finance, I have the responsibility of managing the company's assets, which involves determining the most efficient expenditure of our capital. If I feel that we are making an unwise investment, it's my job to make sure we cut it. Therefore, my judgment holds significant and legitimate weight in this decision."

"I assure you," Gareth gritted his teeth, "Eric is very capable. I have ascertained his skills."

"We have no evidence of what you claim," Dylan refuted. "Therefore, your argument has no basis."

With Dylan's constant onslaught of rational arguments, Gareth was rendered speechless. Aja smiled with admiration towards the ruthless, no-nonsense chief of finance, unable to conceal her excitement over witnessing Gareth's first defeat in an argument. She couldn't deny that seeing the frustrated look on his face gave her a sliver of joy.

_As expected of Dylan Hewitt,_ she thought to herself. _If there's anyone who can oppose Gareth and come out on top, it's him._

_"_Then," Gareth muttered a few seconds later, "what do you propose?"

"Have him duel Miss Donahue," the chief of finance suggested. "If Mr. Lambert is truly qualified to be a battle commander as you claim, then he should be able to hold his own against an existing one. One of our best, if I might add."

"Eric?" Gareth turned to his friend.

"Fine with me," Eric smiled. "I'll leave the big words, bureaucratic talk, and political jibes to you. I'm a duelist. Dueling is what I do best."

"You're not a coward, I'll give you that," Aja sneered. "But we'll see if you're still so confident after the duel."

With that, the four descended an elevator to the tenth floor, which housed a variety of concrete walls that enclosed specialized training spaces for soldiers to practice drills. Having memorized the layout of the floor after years of training of soldiers, Aja led them to an empty room designed for dueling. Eyeing the camera embedded in the wall to monitor and record soldier performance, she walked to her post at the other end of the room. Eric Lambert stood ten meters opposite her, wearing the same arrogant and childish smirk on his face. The sour-faced Gareth and expressionless Dylan stood on opposite corners of the room to oversee the match.

"This is your last chance to save yourself the embarrassment of losing in front of the boss," Aja taunted.

"Don't worry," Eric chuckled weakly. "He's seen me lose plenty of times already."

"Hearing that makes me question your abilities even more," she said dryly.

"You won't know for sure until it's over," Eric smiled. "So let's get started."

"Duel!" both shouted simultaneously.

"Since you're a rookie," Aja said condescendingly, "you can take the first turn."

"I'll gladly take that offer," Eric bowed jokingly before drawing his sixth card. "I discard Bright Star to Special Summon Moonlight Viking from my hand."

A shining ball of light appeared on the field, only to be swallowed by a descending axe-wielding viking warrior clad in blue cloth and silver armor, with the emblem of a crescent moon on his spiked helmet.

(Moonlight Viking: Level 5/LIGHT/Warrior/ATK-2200 DEF-300/Effect: You can discard 1 card from your hand to Special Summon this card from your hand. If you do, you cannot summon another monster this turn)

(Bright Star: Level 1/LIGHT/Psychic/ATK-500 DEF-0/Effect: If this card is sent to the Graveyard, you can Special Summon it to your side of the field on your next Standby Phase)

"I set 1 card," Eric continued. "Turn end."

"My turn," Aja declared, unfazed by her opponent's move. "I summon the Tuner monster Speed Mechatron in attack mode."

A triangular sheet of yellow-colored metal materialized on the field, unfolding itself moments later to reveal a small robot with a pair of roller-skating feet.

(Speed Mechatron: Level 2/EARTH/Machine/ATK-200 DEF-500/Effect: When this monster is destroyed by your opponent, either by battle or by effect, you can Special Summon a Mechatron monster from your hand)

"No response, huh?" she commented snarkily. "Well, I'll spring your set card one way or another. I activate my Spell card Auto Maneuver - Flash Beam, destroying your set card."

"I activate-!"

"Don't think so," Aja cut in. "Flash Beam prevents you from activating anything in response."

Eric wore a look of concern as a swift laser incinerated his set card.

(While you control a Mechatron monster, you can target 1 Spell or Trap card your opponent controls and destroy it. Your opponent cannot activate any card effects in response to this card)

"You're a careful one, aren't you?" Eric commented.

"Any sane person knows that rushing in blindly is suicide," she replied coldly. "If you think I'm being particularly 'careful,' that just shows how much of a rookie you are."

"Ouch," Eric chuckled weakly. "Not too light on your plays or words."

"You won't be laughing for long," Aja frowned, offended that her opponent wasn't taking her seriously. "When I control a Mechatron monster, I can Special Summon Assist Mechatron from my hand."

A red metal box descended from the sky and disassembled itself to reveal a bulky automaton with two limbs holding protective shields.

(Assist Mechatron: Level 3/EARTH/Machine/ATK-0 DEF-2000/Effect: While you control a Mechatron monster, you can Special Summon this card from your hand)

"I tune level 3 Assist Mechatron with level 2 Speed Mechatron," Aja declared. "I Synchro Summon Delta Mechatron - Sniper."

Reverting back to their original shapes, Aja's two mechanical monsters joined together, making loud screeching noises as they molded in convoluted patterns. Eventually, the contraption stopped moving and the final product emerged: a thin orange-coated robot pointing a long sniper rifle at Eric.

(Delta Mechatron - Sniper: 1 Mechatron Tuner + 1 or more non-Tuners/Level 5/EARTH/Machine/ATK-2000 DEF-1000/Effect: Once per turn, you can destroy 1 monster your opponent controls and inflict damage equal to half of that monster's ATK. During the turn this effect was activated, this card cannot declare an attack)

"I activate my monster's effect," Aja announced. "Once per turn, I can destroy 1 monster you control and deal you damage equal to half of its ATK."

Taking a stable crouching stance, Aja's monster aimed its gun at the armored viking and fired, shooting a powerful beam of energy which pierced through and obliterated its target. The resulting debris blew back at Eric, who gritted his teeth from the damage he took. (2900/4000)

"Sniper can't attack the turn I use this effect," Aja explained. "I set 1 card and end my turn."

"That's quite the monster," Eric commented. "Not particularly strong but easy to summon with a versatile effect."

"Do you always talk this much?" she asked with a hint of irritation. "What's your point?"

"My point is that I'm beginning to learn what kind of person you are," Eric replied.

"I think it's irrelevant, not to mention pretty obvious, what kind of person I am," Aja scoffed. "I'm a dignified fighter with no tolerance for negligence or incompetence."

"You're the calculating type who uses the most efficient method to combat your opponent's strategies," Eric continued. "Your deck is designed for risk-free, cost-effective, and consistent plays."

"I'm still not seeing why this makes a difference," Aja retorted. "Stop stalling and make your move."

"Fine," he sighed as he drew a card. "I'll show you what I mean by dueling instead of talking. During my Standby Phase, Bright Star is Special Summoned to my field."

A shimmering sphere of light blinked onto the field, its brightness oscillating every few seconds.

"Next, I summon the Tuner monster Moonlight Sorcerer."

A swirling blue portal spiraled outward from a single point in space, revealing a young male spellcaster wearing a pointed hat and a cerulean robe scattered with various moon paraphernalia.

(Moonlight Sorcerer: Level 4/LIGHT/Spellcaster/ATK-400 DEF-2000/Effect: This card gains 200 ATK for each LIGHT attribute monster on the field)

"I'm tuning level 1 Bright Star with level 4 Moonlight Sorcerer," Eric declared. "The shining moon guides all to prudence. Glisten brightly in your shadowy elegance! Synchro Summon! Howl, Lunar Wolf!"

Bright Star twirled around Eric for a few seconds before resting atop the blue sorcerer's hands. Spreading his hands apart, the iridescent ball expanded, illuminating the world around him with a blinding flash of light. As the brightness faded, what remained on Eric's field was a ravenous gray canine baring its sharp fangs at its opponent.

(Lunar Wolf: Level 5/LIGHT/Beast/ATK-2000 DEF-1000/Effect: When this card destroys a monster by battle, you can banish 1 LIGHT monster from your Graveyard to have it attack again)

Normally, Aja thought nothing of the cards' holographic projections because she understood them as cheap effects meant to entertain an easily impressed public, or, as Gareth had once told her, a fear tactic used to intimidate criminals who were cowardly and superstitious by nature. However, one gaze upon this beast's ferocious yellow eyes was enough to fill her body with a feeling of uneasiness, a feeling which persisted no matter how much she told herself it was only an illusion.

"Lunar Wolf," Eric announced, "attack with Lunar Fang!"

"You plan on crashing my monster, huh?" Aja said in an unimpressed tone. "How naive. I activate my Trap card Counter Maneuver - Blitz. Your attacking monster is destroyed."

"I see," Eric smirked. "So it was a destruction effect. I chain my Quick Spell Moon Wave Swap, returning Lunar Wolf to my Extra Deck and replacing him with Moonlight Viking from my Grave!"

When Lunar Wolf pushed off the ground with its hind legs and pounced, Aja's monster suddenly opened a series of panels from all over its body, unveiling an array of gun barrels which unloaded a storm of lasers and bullets at the beast. However, before they managed to strike, a silvery beam of moonlight descended upon the wolf, absorbing it into the sky to save it from destruction. Moments later, another beam struck the ground, delivering Eric's fallen viking.

(When your opponent declares an attack on your Mechatron monster, destroy the attacking monster)

(Return one monster you control to its owner's hand to Special Summon a Light attribute monster from your Graveyard. If you returned a Synchro monster, you can draw 1 card)

"So you anticipated my set card and used a Quick Spell to save your monster," Aja noted. "Stop smiling when you made a play a kindergartener could've made."

"Well," Eric said, raising an eyebrow, "your Trap is sprung and I just summoned a monster with higher ATK than yours. Also, since I returned a Synchro monster via Moon Wave Swap's effect, I can draw a card. If I didn't know any better, I'd say this is a step above kindergarten level. But I do know better, because this was a play I've made countless times before kindergarten."

Agitated by his bold and arrogant words, Aja gritted her teeth as she mentally acknowledged that he had indeed made an excellent play.

"Moonlight Viking," Eric commanded, "attack Delta Mechatron - Sniper!"

Unleashing a deafening battle cry, the viking charged at the orange machine and hacked at it repeatedly until it was completely dismantled. (2900/3800)

"I set 1 card," Eric said with a pleased grin. "Turn end."

"My turn," Aja announced, smiling upon seeing her newly drawn card. "You made one decent move, but I'm afraid this duel's far from finished. "I summon the Tuner monster Supply Mechatron."

As a blue cylindrical device materialized on the field, its bottom half divided into four symmetrical limbs to pad the insect-like machine's fall.

(Supply Mechatron: Level 3/EARTH/Machine/ATK-500 DEF-500/Effect: When this card is Normal Summoned, you can Special Summon 1 Level 4 or lower Mechatron monster from your Graveyard)

"Supply Mechatron Special Summons a level 4 or lower Mechatron from my Grave," Aja explained. "I choose Assist Mechatron."

The churning of machinery could be heard from within the quadrupedal automaton as it rebuilt the red defense robot and ejected it from its head.

"I tune level 3 Assist Mechatron with level 3 Supply Mechatron," Aja declared. "I Synchro Summon Alpha Mechatron - Quickshot."

In a similar fashion to her previous Synchro Summon, Aja's monsters reverted back to their original shapes and merged together, molding and grinding with increasing complexity until the mechanical complex took on the shape of a green mecha wielding a menacing assault rifle.

(Alpha Mechatron - Quickshot: 1 Mechatron Tuner + 1 or more non-Tuners/Level 6/EARTH/Machine/ATK-2400 DEF-1300/Effect: When this card destroys a monster by battle, you can decrease this card's ATK by 1000 until the End Phase. If you do, this card can attack twice during this Battle Phase)

_He didn't respond to my Synchro Summon,_ Aja thought, narrowing her eyes after seeing Eric's suspicious grin. _That means that his set card will trigger when I attack him._

_"_But what will it be?" Eric smirked, verbalizing her train of thought. "Is it an ATK changing effect? Or maybe a destruction effect? Flip? Bounce? Negation?"

Ignoring him, Aja glanced at the two cards in her hand, one that raised her monster's ATK and one that protected it from effects. After running several scenarios through her mind, she came to the conclusion that any move she made would be a gamble. If his set card was an ATK changer, then the latter would be useless. If it was any other effect, then the former would do nothing. Using both would virtually assure her a safe attack and potentially win her the game. However, if he had some other way of surviving the turn and destroying her monster, then she would be relying on topdecks for the rest of the game. Closing her eyes and recalculating the probabilities in her mind, Aja determined the most risk-free option.

"I activate Auto Maneuver - Explosive Shot," she announced. "My monster gains 1000 ATK and deals you an additional 500 damage when I attack."

(Increase the ATK of all your Mechatron monsters by 1000 until the End Phase. During this turn, when your monster declares an attack, inflict 500 points of damage to your opponent)

"I also activate Auto Maneuver - Reinforced Armor," she continued. "My monster can't be targeted or destroyed by your cards."

(Until the End Phase of this turn, all Mechatron monsters you control cannot be targeted or destroyed by your opponent's card effects)

"I see," Eric smiled. "You've protected your monster from almost everything. I'll tell you now, your attack's going to go through."

"Quickshot attacks Moonlight Viking," Aja mandated, purposely ignoring her opponent's words which she had interpreted as a bluff to dissuade her from attacking.

"I activate my Trap card Moonlight Veil!" Eric declared with a wave of his hand. "My monster can't be destroyed this turn and I gain 500 Life Points!"

Aja's mechanical soldier, whose green plates glowed with a bright sheen, unleashed a barrage of raging bullets at Moonlight Viking, each bursting into orange explosive clouds upon impact. A thunderous roar echoed throughout the rectangular training room, which instantly became filled with ash and dust. However, when the smoke cleared moments later, Eric as well as his monster remained standing, shrouded by a protective layer of sparkling moonlight. (1700/3800)

(No LIGHT attribute monsters can be destroyed this turn. You gain 500 Life Points)

"I wasn't lying when I said your attack would go through," Eric smirked. "It's just too bad for you that there are more ways of nullifying an attack than stopping your monster."

"Turn end," Aja said through gritted teeth.

"My turn then," Eric announced, smiling upon seeing his draw. "First, I summon Bright Star during my Standby Phase via its effect."

Once more, the shining sphere of light blinked onto Eric's field.

"Then, I summon Flash Gunner Luna."

A helmeted woman clad in an azure stealth suit with golden trim dashed onto the field from a silver portal, performing a series of fancy spins with her pair of laser guns.

(Flash Gunner Luna: Level 3/LIGHT/Spellcaster/ATK-1300 DEF-200/ Effect: You can return 1 monster from your field to your hand to deal 500 points of damage to your opponent)

"And here's my last card," Eric grinned. "I discard Vanishing Moon to decrease your monster's ATK by 1000."

A shimmering ball of rock materialized above Aja's monster, crumbling into specks of dust which rained on the green automaton, weakening it and rendering it immobile.

(Vanishing Moon: Level 1/LIGHT/Psychic/ATK-1000 DEF-100/Effect: You can discard this card from your hand to have one of your opponent's monsters lose 1000 ATK and 1 level. If you do, Special Summon this card to your side of the field in attack position on your next Battle Phase)

"Here it comes," Eric announced. "Moonlight Viking, attack-!"

"Stop the match," Dylan suddenly interrupted.

All eyes turned to face the chief of finance standing in the corner of the training room. Aja watched with anguished eyes widened by a helpless feeling of betrayal as Dylan Hewitt began making his way out of the facility without another word.

"Wait!" Aja pleaded. "I can still-!"

"The game's over," he said plainly without turning back. "Mr. Lambert is the winner."

"But sir!" she cried, the frustration and anxiety apparent in her voice.

"Be sure to show Eric to his room," Gareth said with a tiny smirk as he followed Dylan out the door.

The Solid Vision holograms faded and she was left alone with her opponent. When the door completely shut, Aja's head and shoulders fell in defeat. Although she was ashamed of losing, what infuriated her even more was the fact that a man she did not respect had been given the satisfaction of winning. Not only that, but Gareth and now Dylan, both men she once admired, had turned against her, abandoning her in favor of this arrogant brat. Somehow, it seemed like the world she had known was falling apart.

A rookie being given the rank of battle commander? By engaging in sinful activities with our leader? By making himself look good in front of Dylan? In a duel that wasn't even finished? Give me a break!

Gazing bitterly at Eric and the stupid grin on his face, Aja swore to herself that she would never acknowledge him.

January 23, 3051 11:21 AM

Gareth placed his thumb on his office door's security system and leaned in for his retina to be scanned. Confirming his authorization, the double door swung open, allowing him to walk inside the spacious room where he took a seat at his glass desk. Swirling a full 180 on his swivel chair, Gareth crossed his arms and legs as he looked out the window and watched the bustling commotion of the city. This was his favorite pose for collecting his thoughts and meditating on them, as the fast non-stop activities below seemed to reflect the workings of his brain.

At this moment, his mind identified and isolated several problems which needed his attention, primarily the disobedience of Dylan and Aja. As they have been two of his most loyal and competent employees, Gareth was shocked to learn that they distrusted him and had the capacity to reject his commands. He feared that this was a sign of his fleeting control over his company, a harbinger of one of his worst nightmares: having his rightful place usurped from him once more. Furrowing his brows, Gareth decided that he needed to strengthen his hold on the company's reins and do away with any potential conspirators, preferably in an amiable fashion. Fortunately for him, he had already taken the first step by enlisting Eric into D.T. as a battle commander, a move that ensured him both political support and military power.

At the thought of Eric, however, Gareth's train of thought traveled elsewhere. Having witnessed his duel against Aja, he immediately recalled how impressed and surprised he was by Eric's abilities. Without losing focus, he had managed to make a mockery of Aja, one of his strongest battle commanders, and with ease. What more, he had exhibited perfect control over his Ingenian beast; that is, he had managed to use it without succumbing to dark emotions and harming his opponent. To this day, this was a feat that Gareth himself had not managed to achieve.

He gritted his teeth as an internal conflict churned inside him. As Eric's friend, he knew he should feel happy for him, proud of him for having overcome his inner darkness and obtaining a new strength from his resolve. Gareth knew he should be praising and congratulating him for his well-deserved accomplishments. And yet, he felt little more than bitterness, jealousy, and resentment. At that moment, Gareth began to realize that perhaps it was negative feelings like these that prevented him from fully controlling his powers. Perhaps it was these sinful emotions that prevented him from being the person he wanted to be. Perhaps it was these dark thoughts that barred him from the light Eric had managed to discover.

Clenching his fists, Gareth continued to analyze and rationalize his thoughts.

January 23, 3051 11:34 AM

The gargantuan silhouette of a menacing dragon towered above a shivering young boy, baring its long fangs with a sadistic grin. As the boy fell backwards in absolute terror of the beast which stood before him, a shrieking cackle could be heard, carried by an unnatural torrent of wind which ravaged his face.

"Please!" the boy pleaded. "I give up! You can take anything you want!"

"Anything I want?" the voice repeated with snicker. "I don't need your permission to take what I want."

A dark figure stepped past the massive dragon, taking slow heavy steps towards the boy whose whimpering intensified.

"I guess it's true that this started out with me wanting your cards," the voice said in a vicious tone. "But now, I changed my mind."

Just as he said that, the footsteps ceased and the boy felt an ominous presence standing inches away from him, casting an oppressive weight on the child who was already reduced to tears. He slowly raised his eyes, tracing the man's long green trench coat until he reached his face, when he let out an audible gasp. Behind the young man's unkempt black hair which fell to his neck, he could see a pair of devilish brown eyes surrounded by a mass of blood red veins.

Upon seeing the boy's horrified expression, the man's lips curled upward to form a perverse smile, his face wrinkling as they did so.

"Torturing you has been so fun," the man laughed wickedly, "that I can't seem to stop."

For the next few minutes, the only sound that could be heard was a little boy's agonizing cries of pain and despair.

Then, silence.


	17. Chapter 17

Yu-Gi-Oh! D.T.

Chapter 17: Rising Malevolence, The Vengeance of Unseen Shadows

January 24, 3051 8:03 AM

Aja stood stiffly beside the ever aloof chief of finance as she glanced out the window of his office on the 18th floor, furrowing her brows when she caught sight of Eric Lambert walking into the D.T. headquarters building. Even from 60 meters above ground, she could imagine the arrogant smirk on his face, the smug look of an undisciplined hooligan thinking he could have his way with everything. Clenching her fists, Aja thought bitterly about her unjustified defeat against him.

_ I swear,_ she thought grudgingly, _I will make your life here miserable._

"Aja?" she heard Dylan call from beside her.

"Y-yes?" she replied as she snapped out of her thoughts and turned to face him.

"I said your name three times before you answered," he said, his expression darkening. "Is something distracting you?"

"No sir!" she shouted, embarrassed that she had been caught out of focus.

"As I was saying," Dylan continued, staring at her with a hint of suspicion, "it appears that Commander Lambert will be assigned his squadron today."

"That's right," Aja nodded, trying to hide a scowl.

_ Commander? Since when have you recognized his position?_

"I was told that you had some input in deciding which soldiers he would be in charge of."

"Yes," she answered nervously. "As a veteran battle commander, I have the most knowledge about our soldiers. I suggested the ones which suited Eric Lambert's...qualifications."

"And with your...expertise...," Dylan glared, "you determined that the most suitable soldiers for him were the ones who just so happened to have scored the lowest in our performance evaluations?"

"I-Is that so?" she stuttered. "I believe I made the optimal choices. D-do you object to my decisions?"

For the next minute, Dylan did nothing but stare at Aja, who turned her face away in fear of his harsh, judging eyes. She had already lost Gareth's trust, but now, she was facing the scrutiny of a man she held in even higher regard than her employer. If he too abandoned her, then she knew this company would be doomed to the leadership of senseless fools. The very thought of it filled her with anxiety and frustration. Slowly, Aja raised her eyes to meet Dylan's, bracing herself for his reply.

"No," he said. "I don't disagree with your decision. Commander Lambert has little experience in military operations. If he makes a fatal decision that risks the lives of an elite squadron, we could lose some of our best soldiers. With the team you decided for him, we can minimize our collateral damage."

After hearing his final verdict, Aja breathed a sigh of relief.

_ So he still doesn't completely trust Eric Lambert._

"Continue observing Gareth and Commander Lambert," Dylan commanded. "Report to me any irregularities in their activities."

"Yes sir!" she shouted excitedly as she raised her hand in a salute.

With a satisfied grin, Aja exited the chief of finance's office to attend to her mission.

January 24, 3051 8:31 AM

Gareth sat in his office with an agitated expression on his face as he perused the papers arranged in large stacks on his glass table. With each report he picked up, the news became worse and worse, causing Gareth to furrow his brows and let out an exasperated sigh when he put down the last paper. Clenching his fists, he closed his eyes as he reflected on the reasons why his soldiers were losing fights against the Dark Chasers.

_ I knew this was an uphill battle from the beginning,_ Gareth thought. _The Dark Chasers are a humongous organization with power and influence in the darkest corners of society. But still, there has to be something I can do to even out the score._

He swiveled around on his chair and glanced out the window at the busy streets of Muto City, trying to set his mind into top gear.

_ It's true that the soldiers I recruit are strong, but I don't have a large enough army to do significant damage. Every base we take out, every Dark Chaser we defeat, they're all replaced the next day, and tenfold. Meanwhile, we're dwindling on our resources and each soldier we lose chips away at our already fragile morale._

Taking another deep breath, Gareth turned back to face his laptop.

_What we need right now is to learn more about the Dark Chasers. We need to discover their weaknesses, the focal points of their hierarchy, the people and places we have to strike to collapse their entire organization._

For the sake of achieving this goal, Gareth placed his trust in Eric, the most capable duelist and human being he knew. From Eric's explanation of his Ingenian powers, Gareth had surmised that his sense of intuition and ability to understand people were dramatically enhanced, allowing him to essentially look into people's hearts and minds. After realizing that this ability, along with Eric's high survivability as a result of his Ingenian powers, were ideal for intel gathering, Gareth had assigned him to lead a four-man reconnaissance team.

Gareth swiftly typed a series of commands on his laptop to bring up the video feed of a meeting room on the fourth floor, where Eric was currently waiting for his other team members to arrive. Through his monitor, he saw Eric standing awkwardly next to the door, checking the time on his new cell phone every few seconds as tapped his feet impatiently.

A moment later, a thin man wearing a pair of rectangular glasses entered the room. When Eric greeted him with a smile and a handshake, the man merely glanced at him with an expression of apathy before taking his seat at the far back end of the room, where he took out a small mirror and began combing his gelled up hair.

_ Zachary Joben,_ Gareth noted mentally. _A skilled duelist and strategist, but lazy and disobedient._

A second soldier entered the room, this time a sulking teen with long black hair, a hunched back, and a ghastly countenance. He weakly shook Eric's hand before slowly walking to a chair halfway between Eric and Zachary.

_ Roger Tanton. Expert in stealth and infiltration, but has weak combat abilities and poor communication skills._

Next was a young girl in her early teens with blonde pigtails whose eyes were glued to her pink cell phone, causing her to completely ignore Eric and take a seat closest to the door.

_ Beverly Kade. Brilliant actor and social engineer. Unfortunately, her dueling and her maturity leave a lot to be desired._

Several minutes passed in awkward silence as they waited for their fifth team member to arrive. After checking his phone for the tenth time since Beverly's entrance, Eric walked outside the room to see if anyone was coming. To his surprise, however, a thunderous explosion of noise echoed through the room as he felt something deflate beneath his foot, followed by a man's roar of laughter.

"What the hell is this?" Eric exclaimed.

"Whoa man!" a topless muscular soldier snickered as he slapped Eric on the back. "Looks like leader man's gotta take a dump! Guess we can peace out now!"

Eric gawked in disbelief as the prankster ran away in playful strides, snickering all the way.

_ Richard Durrell. He has incredible stamina and a great deal of combat experience. But he's not smart or particularly good at dueling, not to mention he never takes anything seriously._

When Eric came back to his senses, he turned around to see the other members' reactions. To his dismay, the young girl joined in the laughter, giggling in sharp squeals while the other two sat quietly in their seats, both seemingly uninterested in the present shenanigans. To Eric's compete and utter shock, the others followed the topless man out the door, Beverly skipping with her eyes on her phone, Roger slowly pacing out, and Zachary leaving after he finished trimming his nails.

"Where are you guys going?" Eric shouted. "Wasn't this supposed to be a meeting?"

"We met," Zachary replied stoically. "Call us when we have an assignment."

Left alone and flabberghasted by the desertion of his supposed teammates, Eric fell backwards into a chair, his shoulders sagging in defeat.

Gareth switched off the video feed, unable to bear the sight of such unprofessional behavior in his company. Sighing to himself, he swiveled back towards the window, rubbing his chin as one thought crossed his mind.

Information isn't the only thing we're lacking. With soldiers like these, it's no wonder we're losing battles against the Dark Chasers.

Gareth knew that if he wanted to stand a single chance against his enemies, he needed a unified army dedicated to a single cause. He needed a spark for change, a role model with a new mindset who could catalyze a massive revolution in his company's operations. For now, he believed that Eric was the spark he needed.

_ Things may looks dim right now, Eric. But there's no one who understands people the way you can. And there's no one I can trust more than you._

Content with his musings, Gareth returned to analyzing the reports on his desk.

January 24, 3051 8:33 AM

Sandra felt an icy spurt of darkness coursing through her veins, numbing her senses and lacerating her soul with the prickling vehemence of a vicious scourge. She had always felt that something was amiss, but she never imagined that things were this bad. Just as quickly as her guardians had obtained their powers, they became engulfed by a corrupt black aura, a haunting malady which persisted and intensified with every moment that passed. Without a doubt, Eric and Gareth were afflicted by sinister thoughts and emotions, troublesome distractions that continuously shaved away at their patience and sensibility.

"So why don't you do something about it?" she heard Gryp say from beside her.

"I cannot," she muttered quietly. "There is nothing I can do for them."

"Because you're a priest?"

"Because I am me," Sandra whimpered.

"What are you talking about?" the griffon spirit snorted. "You know more than anyone about the nature of Ingenian powers and the experiences of past guardians. You know exactly what they're going through and how to help them. So why don't you?"

"Why are you always asking me to do things that are impossible for me?"

"They're not impossible for you to do," Gryp said in a stern tone. "You have to do them. If not for the sake of your job, then for your people. And if not for them, then for the sake of the world!"

"Gryp please," Sandra whined. "Not now."

"What about Eric? Don't you want to help Eric? Comfort him in his time of need?"

"Gryp!" Sandra shouted before bursting into tears. "I cannot do it! I am terrified! What if I fail? What if I push them away? What if it was my fault that they are feeling so distressed?"

"Sandra," Gryp sighed. "You can't keep doing this to yourself. You're a lot stronger than you think you are. If you keep doing nothing because you're scared of failure, then you'll never achieve success."

"Please," she wept, "just leave me alone for a while."

Breathing an audible sigh, the griffon spirit drifted away from Sandra's resting chamber, leaving her to calm down from her state of teary distress.

January 28, 3051 12:49 PM

Huffing loudly as he ran down the alabaster halls of the D.T. headquarters building, Eric felt his heart beating rapidly from anxiety. Having been called to a briefing for his first mission, Eric hurried up the stairs in his desire to make a good impression, earn the trust of the other employees who looked down on him, and justify Gareth's decision to make him a battle commander.

For the last few days that he'd been at the company, he'd felt dark emotions from nearly every employee he passed by, feelings which derived from fear, anger, boredom, and jealousy. Even without them saying so, he could tell from their auras that many despised him for his connection to Gareth, while others were apathetic towards him and the company as a whole. From the duels he had observed, Eric concluded that Gareth's soldiers were indeed very skilled. However, he knew that they weren't nearly strong enough to defeat the Dark Chasers. They were far too selfish, careless, and indignant.

With every new member he met, Eric wondered more and more how Gareth had managed to control these arrogant men. Knowing him, he probably forced them into submission, bribed them with superficial things like money, and wooed them with promises of glory. Then, he probably kept them under strict discipline with leaders like Aja and Dylan. Eric admitted that logically speaking, these tactics were probably extremely effective for establishing an organization and maintaining its forces. Unfortunately, he also began to observe the downsides of this method: disobedience, disloyalty, and disunity.

It was for this reason that Eric was running like a madman to answer his call to arms. He believed that in order to earn his colleagues' acknowledgement and to inspire them to fight, he needed to perform his job seriously and diligently, guiding them as a beacon of light. He knew that threats and pretty words wouldn't change anything; he had to lead by example.

As he burst into the rendezvous room on the fifth floor, however, Eric was shocked to see that not even Gareth had arrived. Struggling to catch his breath, Eric slowly made his way to a nearby chair and collapsed on it.

_What the hell? _he thought to himself. _I thought at least Gareth would come on time._

After several minutes of impatient waiting, Eric heard approaching footsteps, prompting him to raise his head and see Gareth walking to the far back corner of the room. Although his face was fierce and harsh as always, Eric saw a downcast look in his eyes, as well as a cloud of murky yellow in his aura.

"You look horrible," Eric said provocatively.

"You don't look so great yourself," Gareth chuckled weakly as he leaned back against the wall.

"Whatever's bothering you," Eric commented, "it must be the same reason why you're late."

"Late, huh?" Gareth smirked. "I used to think so too."

"What do you mean?"

"I used to come to these meetings on time," he sighed, "but I've since learned that most soldiers never do."

"You're the boss," Eric said, cocking an eyebrow. "Shouldn't you try to enforce the rules?"

"With how lazy these soldiers are," Gareth muttered, "it's more productive to get some more work done instead of sitting here waiting for idiots who will always show up late."

"I think I know where you're coming from," Eric sighed as he remembered his first meeting with his squad members.

"Changing egocentric idiots is a tall task."

"Even for you?" Eric teased, recalling Gareth's manipulation tactics.

"Especially for me," he grinned in acknowledgment.

"This might sound kind of cheeky from someone who's just joined," Eric smiled, "but it's too early to give up. Like you said before, everyone has some good in them."

"Yeah," Gareth nodded. "Let's hope you're right."

As soon as the other members of the squad entered the room several minutes later, Gareth proceeded to begin the briefing. Pressing a button on a remote control, he projected an image of a tall apartment building on a large screen.

"Just recently," he began, "we received a report detailing the activities of many suspicious characters around a certain neighborhood in Beluga City. Based on several witness accounts, we've triangulated their location to this residential building."

"So you want us to bust in and beat the snot outta these bozos, right?" the shirtless Richard chuckled excitedly.

"No," Gareth said firmly, glaring at him, "your only job is to investigate this building to confirm our suspicion that it is in fact a Dark Chaser hideout."

"You said there were shady dudes hanging around, right?" Beverly spoke impertinently as she continued to tap away at her phone. "Well no duh they're Dark Chasers."

"Girly here's right," Richard grinned cheekily. "We oughta just break in and kick all their sorry asses."

As rude and uncouth these two were in speaking out against their employer, what Eric found even more disturbing was the fact that the other two were sitting there without contributing any thoughts or opinions to the conversation. Roger slouched silently in his chair with his overgrown bangs covering his entire face, emitting a murky brown color from his aura. Meanwhile, the gray-aura'd Zachary seemed to focus all his attention on his nails, completely disinterested in the content of Gareth's presentation. Eric still had no idea as to what these aura colors symbolized, but he knew they weren't good in the slightest.

"You'll do exactly as I instruct," Gareth raised his voice. "Your mission is to scout the premises of this building without drawing any attention to yourself. Ascertain the number of Dark Chasers occupying the area and the person in charge."

"Boo," Richard whined, sticking out his tongue.

Turning to face Gareth, whose face wrinkled with a look of disdain, Eric could see a dark maroon color erupting from his aura.

_ Well,_ he smiled to himself, _at least I know what that one means._

_ "_You will leave immediately and report to me tomorrow morning at 8 AM sharp," Gareth decreed. "On Commander Lambert's command, move out!"

Eric turned his head as he felt a light hand on his shoulder.

"Good luck," Gareth muttered.

With that, he walked out of the meeting room in long forceful strides.

Typical Gareth, Eric laughed mentally.

Taking a deep breath before facing the clearly irked squad he was placed in charge of, Eric gave his first order as a battle commander.

"Alright guys, let's go."

"Right now?" Richard complained. "He said we've got til tomorrow morning."

"The more information we can get," Eric said patiently, "the more easily we can take down that base. That means we have to go as soon as we can."

"You obviously don't get how this works," Beverly prodded. "We don't even have to go. All we gotta do is leave the building, pretend we did stuff, and make up a dumb report. Either way, we get paid."

"T-that's a joke, right?" Eric stuttered in disbelief.

The blank looks on his squad members' faces gave him no hopeful indication.

_ My god,_ Eric thought nervously. _These guys have got some real balls. How have they been getting away with this bullshit all this time?_

"C-come on, guys," Eric said, trying to give them encouragement. "If we do a good job, I'll throw in a good word for you guys. Gareth might even raise your salaries."

"Yeah right," Beverly scoffed. "That stingy bastard Dylan Hewitt won't give us shit."

"And you thought we were telling bad jokes," Richard snickered.

"I'll treat you all afterwards?" Eric suggested, trying to give them an impetus.

"All that work and just for a shabby meal?" Beverly raised her lip. "I think I'll pass."

"I'm with her," Richard snorted. "No way in hell am I gonna bore myself for the next twenty hours for some shitty food."

"Fine," Eric growled, his patience wearing thin. "What do you guys want?"

"To beat shit up!" Richard shouted, flexing his muscles.

"I'm not going against Gareth's orders," Eric rebutted.

"I could use a new duel runner," Beverly said in a straightforward manner. "And a new phone. And maybe some new earrings. Oh, and also-."

"No," Eric shot her down. "I can't afford any of those things."

Eric glanced at the other two who remained silent during this entire exchange for any hopeful sign, his shoulders sagging when they continued to ignore him.

"God damn it," Eric grunted. "If you guys won't cooperate, then I'll go alone! I'll do the mission and write the report myself! Don't think I'm not going to mention how selfish all of you are being right now! Is that fine with you guys?"

"See ya," Beverly waved, her eyes never leaving her phone.

Shaking his fists in furious agitation, Eric stormed out of the room in a similar fashion to Gareth with half a mind to give up on his team of indifferent egotistical morons.

_ Yup,_ he thought angrily to himself. _I know exactly what you mean now, Gareth. I'm going to need all the luck in the world to manage these guys._

January 28, 3051 2:47 PM

"Move it," Olivia commanded as she kicked her short and stocky informant forward.

"Shut up!" the man turned around and barked angrily. "I don't even know why I'm being forced into doing this! I already told you what you wanted to know!"

"Remember who you're talking to," she growled, brandishing a knife. "The only reason you're here is because I know bastards like you wouldn't hesitate to give me false information. This way, if you're lying to me, you'll regret it in hell."

"A-Alright," he trembled, raising his hands as a gesture of surrender. "I get it. S-So just put that away, will you?"

Scoffing spitefully, Olivia sheathed her knife into her belt and walked after the middle-aged man, who perspired fiercely as he increased his pace. Along the way, she kept her eyes wandering around her surroundings, taking every precaution to protect herself from any traps this man could possibly spring on her.

They were in a suburban ghetto surrounded by shoddy houses, decrepit drug stores, and miserable cripples with the life in their eyes slowly growing dim. Under such circumstances, even the most courageous of individuals would find a lump in their throats, trembling from fear and insecurity. To Olivia, however, this was an all too familiar scene. The crumbling sidewalks, the spilled sewage, the stench of death, all of these brought back scorned memories from her time in the Orient.

Yet, despite her adverse feelings towards her childhood, Olivia's experiences in the ghetto were probably her greatest asset in her career. Aside from the survival skills and combat prowess she had developed to protect herself, she had obtained something else, something metaphysical and humanly unfathomable. Something in her eyes reflected the agony and hopelessness felt by all those who had lived in a pit of despair, yet simultaneously retaining the will to fight and survive. It was an unexplainable attribute which transcended secular comprehension, a quality which commanded respect from everything mortal.

Everyone she passed by recognized the look in her eyes, the eyes of someone who had looked into the same abyss, yet managed to return from it. It wasn't long before she stopped watching for danger. She knew that no one around her posed a threat any longer.

Minutes later, her corpulent informant stopped in front of what looked like an abandoned building. Judging from the among of dust and spider webs, Olivia deduced that no one had set foot in this building for many years. A chill ran down her spine as her instincts told her that something was horribly wrong.

"What the hell are you trying to pull?" she growled, turning towards her guide.

"I don't understand," he gasped. "T-This is definitely the address! I-I-!"

Before he could speak any further, a surge of flashing electricity shot through him, causing him to scream in torment and spasm wildly on the ground.

Another beam fired, striking her directly in the chest and sending her flying several meters backwards.

_ It penetrated my nullifier! _she thought to herself. _What kind of DED is this?_

From the corner of her eye, Olivia saw a man in his thirties with brown gelled-back hair wearing a black suit approaching from within the abandoned building.

"W-why are you doing this?" the writhing informant whimpered. "I did what you said! I followed through with the plan! I-I-!"

"This was also part of the plan," the suited man smirked.

Olivia watched in horror as he shot a relentless barrage of discharges at the already suffering informant, inducing howls of increasing hoarseness and volume which eventually faded into a haunting silence.

"You…bastard…," she muttered, wincing from the stinging pain in her chest.

"Still not dead yet, huh?" the man grinned haughtily. "Looks like you've got some fight left in you."

"You've got that right," Olivia sneered.

Pressing a button, she dispersed the electricity afflicting her and charged at her attacker, thrusting her fist at his face. However, he seemed prepared, as he parried the punch and countered with a jab to the gut. After a small grunt, Olivia quickly recovered and launched an uppercut, which the man easily dodged once again. This time, he followed with a roundhouse to the head that she barely managed to block with both arms. Unfortunately, the force of the kick was enough to knock her off balance, enabling him to strike her stomach once again.

Realizing that her opponent was both stronger and faster, Olivia backed off, performing a series of backflips to distance herself.

"Not bad," he complimented her. "But not good enough."

"Don't underestimate me," Olivia shot back, huffing slightly.

Initiating her attack with another charge, she prepared a lethal finishing move which made use of the force behind her full weight and running start. Realizing the danger of taking the attack head on, the man swiveled sideways, causing Olivia to fly past him with her attack.

However, she was waiting for this moment. Grabbing the man's arm to use as an anchor, she pulled herself around him, making use of her high force and velocity to overpower him. Completely caught off guard, the man shouted in pain as he was slammed against the ground and pinned in an inescapable arm bar.

"Who sent you?" Olivia barked in a threatening tone.

The man didn't reply, only turning around with smile in an attempt to taunt her.

"I asked you a question!" Olivia snarled, pulling his arm and inciting a harrowing scream.

"I'm not going to tell you who they are," the man panted.

"They?" she asked, pulling harder. "Who are they? Why did they send you to kill me?"

"You really don't know anything, do you?" the man chuckled weakly.

"What are you talking about?" Olivia asked with a hint of concern in her voice.

"You have no idea who you're dealing with," he replied, his laughter intensifying to a degree of madness.

"Tell me!" Olivia shouted. "Who is it you're working for?"

"If I tell you," the man screeched, tears streaming from his shuddering eyes as his laugh slowly crumbled into a pitiful moan, "they're going to kill me anyway, along with my family."

Olivia's eyes widened in shock as she beheld the sight of a once strong and confident man breaking down, weeping with tears of sorrow and anguish.

"Just hurry up and do your worst," the man sniveled, his shoulders heaving vehemently.

Upon hearing these words, she felt the blood drain from her face as her heart raced with anxiety. If the people sent to kill her would rather die than betray their employers, she couldn't imagine just how powerful these people must be. She began to realize that the ones she was looking for, the villains who were responsible for her mother's death, sat in far higher and darker corners than she had imagined.

Truthfully, she was terrified. In her career, she had seen the worst of evils committed by those in the underground world, sadistic hyenas with no moral boundaries and no respect for any human virtue. Torture, extortion, murder, these men had no limits to their villainy. But the terror she saw in this man's eyes wasn't something any ordinary person could incur. It was something eerie and supernatural, something she knew would doom her to a fate of unparalleled torment if she made a single mistake. Despite her simmering urge to seek justice for her mother, Olivia dreaded the thought of just how far this trail of darkness descended, and how much suffering she would encounter if she followed it.

After pondering her options for a moment, Olivia took a deep breath and released the man.

"What are you doing?" he asked, his eyes wide with shock.

"I don't want your life," she replied softly.

"Don't you get it?" the man shouted. "If you don't kill me, I won't stop until I kill you!"

"I know," she said somberly. "But I'm not going to let it end like this."

Pulling out her duel disk and pressing a button on it, a bright barrier formed around both her and the man.

"What is this?"

"This is a Duel Engager," she explained. "It surrounds each of us in a magnetic barrier induced by the current generated from the potential difference in our duel energies. It can only be disabled when one of our duel energies disappears."

"That means one of us has to die," the man said, his brows furrowing. "Do you expect us to just sit here until one of us drops dead?"

"Each duel disk runs on a Dynasium battery that absorbs the user's duel energy," Olivia continued. "Many are built to limit the amount of duel energy that can be drawn by the battery for safety purposes, but this device overrides that safety mechanism."

"I don't get a thing you're saying," he growled. "Just get to the point!"

"The more duel energy a Dynasium battery absorbs, the higher the voltage. Past a certain point, the battery's capacity will be overloaded with too high of a current, which will result in the release of a powerful electromagnetic pulse containing duel energy. Get the picture?"

"If you're going to kill me anyway, why didn't you do it earlier?"

"If one of us has to die," she answered, "I'd rather do it by my own terms. This is a duel to the death, one where we can fight with honor and dignity. No torture. No murder."

"I see," the man frowned, wiping his tears. "One of us still has to die, but you don't want to get your hands dirty."

"I guess that's one way to think of it," Olivia nodded, activating her duel disk. "I hope you duel better than you fight."

"Better not regret giving me this chance," the man said dryly.

"Duel!" both shouted simultaneously.

"I'll go first," Olivia declared. "I summon Fragrant Tulip!"

A pink ballerina flower bloomed elegantly onto her field, waving its two petals in air to assume the fifth ballet movement.

(Fragrant Tulip: Level 3/EARTH/Plant/ATK 0 DEF 0/Effect-Once per turn, when this card is in attack position, you can inflict 600 points of damage to your opponent. During your End Phase, this card is changed to defense position)

"I activate Fragrant Tulip's effect to deal you 600 damage!" Olivia announced.

Rotating in a graceful pirouette, the pink tulip unleashed a gust of petals at its opponent, who raised his arm in defense as they blew past him. (4000/3400)

"Fragrant Tulip changes to Defense Mode at my End Phase," Olivia explained. "I set 1 card. Turn end."

"My turn," the brown-haired man declared. "I summon Dusk Conscript."

A muscular swordsman clad in a set of black armor descended on the field, unsheathing its large broadsword.

(Dusk Conscript: Level 4/DARK/Warrior/ATK-1800 DEF-300/Effect: When this card is Normal Summoned, increase this monster's ATK by 400 until the End Phase)

"My monster gains 400 ATK when it's summoned," he explained. "Dusk Conscript attacks Fragrant Tulip."

"I activate my Trap card Season Shift," Olivia countered. "I return Fragrant Tulip to my hand to Special Summon Fragrant Hydrangea from my deck!"

As the dark knight lunged at Olivia's tulip, a cluster of vines rose from the ground, enshrouding the pink flower and replacing it with a different one: a long green stalk holding a pair of lavender petal shields. Mustering its strength to swing its sword at the plant, the warrior found itself knocked back by the recoil of its blow against the hydrangeas' shields.

(Return 1 Plant-type monster to your hand and Special Summon 1 Plant-type monster from your deck)

(Fragrant Hydrangea: Level 4/EARTH/Plant/ATK-0 DEF-2000/Effect: Once per turn, this card cannot be destroyed by battle)

"My monster can't be destroyed once per turn," Olivia explained.

"Not bad I guess," the man praised her. "I set 3 cards. Turn end."

"If I'm only 'not bad,'" Olivia said as she drew a card, "then I guess I'll have to do better. I summon Fragrant Tulip and burn you for another 600 damage!"

Blooming once more, the ballerina tulip unleashed another windy blast of petals at its opponent, leaving less than three quarters of his Life Points remaining. (4000/2800)

"Fragrant Tulip switches to defense mode," she continued. "I set 1 card. Turn end."

"A stall and burn strategy, eh?" the suited man smirked. "Reminds me of someone I knew."

"Oh?" Olivia teased. "Someone special?"

"Something like that," he chuckled. "Like you, she preferred not to attack head, always hiding behind a wall of monsters. Sadly, being the kind and timid person she was, she cared more about protecting her monsters than herself, but she wasn't too serious about dueling. Neither of us were."

Olivia's smile faded as she watched his eyelids lower.

"But things were different back then," he said somberly. "I was naive."

"What do you mean?" she asked with a slight hint of concern.

"I was careless to think that I could play with people's lives and get away unscathed," the man persisted. "I thought I could keep doing what I did and still lead a normal life. But I was wrong."

A lump formed around Olivia's throat as she saw her opponent's eyes suddenly grow dark.

"Life isn't so forgiving to those who are unprepared for it," he muttered cynically. "I activate my Quick Spell Onset of Darkness, destroying your set card and dealing you 800 damage!"

Olivia watched in shock and discomfort as her protection Trap was ensnared by an ominous pool of black clouds and melted into a pile of thick sludge before exploding chunks of muck in each direction. (3200/2800)

(While you control a Dusk monster, you can destroy 1 Spell or Trap card on the field and inflict 800 points of damage to its controller)

"My turn," the man announced with a grim scowl. "I summon the Tuner monster Dusk Monger."

A black portal formed beside the man's armored knight, revealing another muscular warrior draped in gray rags wielding a humongous steel axe.

(Dusk Monger: Level 4/DARK/Warrior/ATK-1800 DEF-200/Effect: When this card is Normal Summoned, increase this card's ATK by 400)

"My monster gains 400 until the end of my turn," he explained. "But that's not all. I activate my Trap card Midnight Onslaught, giving both my monsters 400 ATK and letting them attack twice this turn."

Olivia gritted her teeth in anxiety as she watched the two burly warriors in front of her unleash an sinister black aura and howl threateningly into the air.

(All Dusk Monsters you control gain 400 ATK and can attack twice until the End Phase of this turn)

"Dusk Conscript attacks Fragrant Hydrangea twice," the man commanded without hesitation.

Raising its shields, the purple flower monster successfully defended against the heavy impact of the swordsman's blade. However, the second attack broke through, shattering the plant's defenses and making a clean cut through its stem.

"Dusk Monger attacks Fragrant Tulip," he continued, ignoring his opponent's worried expression.

Without the slightest bit of mercy, the axe-wielding warrior swung its weapon at the pink ballerina, who shrieked miserably as it was utterly decimated, petals and all.

"Now," the man muttered, "direct attack."

Roaring ferociously, the ragged warrior leaned back with all its might and threw its axe, which flew straight through Olivia and incited a torturous scream from her. (600/2800)

"I'm tuning level 4 Dusk Conscript with level 4 Dusk Monger," he continued without missing a beat. "Dark shadows envelope the world's light of hypocrisy. Rise forth from the injustices of glorified sinners. Synchro Summon! Stand strong, Fortress of Angelic Sanctity!"

The two dark warriors dissolved into black particles and rose into the air, forming a cluster of foreboding storm clouds which churned in convulsing snake-like patterns. After a few moments, a black hole emerged in the center of the murky cloud assemblage and released a flashing burst of light which illuminated the overcast sky. With the slow and gentle grace of a seraph, a lustrous mass of stone and metal descended from the shining orifice, its massive walls shimmering under the gleam of holy light.

(Fortress of Angelic Sanctity: 1 Tuner + 1 or more non-Tuners/Level 8/LIGHT/Rock/ATK-0 DEF-3000/Effect: During the End Phase of your opponent's turn, destroy 1 card on your opponent's field. During your End Phase, inflict 1000 points of damage to your opponent)

As Olivia laid her eyes on this gleaming bastille, she became entranced by its placid beauty, a delicacy that was characteristic of a truly pastoral spirit. The more she looked at it, the deeper she fell into its alluring spell, and the more she became aware of an inherent contradiction.

_ This monster,_ she thought to herself, _it doesn't feel like something this man would play. His bitterness, his anger, none of these feelings reside within this tranquil monster. If it's not his monster, then maybe-._

_ "_Don't tell me…," Olivia gasped as she realized the truth.

"That's right," the man replied softly. "This was my wife's favorite card. Before she was taken from me."

"Taken?" Olivia asked, a chill running down her spine.

"The men I work for heard about me and requested my services," he explained. "I knew there was something dangerous about them, so I didn't comply with their demands."

"They killed your wife…," she whispered, lowering her eyelids as her heart bled with sympathy.

"And now they're threatening my daughter," the man said gloomily before raising his eyes in cold determination. "That's why I can't afford to be half-assed about anything I do. That's why I can't afford to lose this duel."

Olivia dropped her head and remained silent as she once again came to the realization that no matter who won this duel, no one would truly win. Both of them had far too much to lose.

_ Why? Why do things have to be this way?_

"At the end of my turn," the man declared firmly. " Fortress deals you 1000 damage. I'm sorry it had to end like this."

A cylindrical contraption protruded from the bastille's walls, collecting bits of energy for a second before unleashing a tremendous burst of scintillating light energy at Olivia, who shrieked as she was struck and caught in a thunderous explosion.

The man sighed of relief and proceeded to turn off his duel disk before realizing that the electromagnetic barrier surrounding him had not been lifted. Raising his head in shock, the man furrowed his brows when he saw his opponent still standing behind a layer of dissipating dust clouds, flustered but very much alive. In front of her was a slender plant with oval leaves as arms, a flowing green dress as a stem, and a pink multi-layered blossom as a sun hat. (600/2800)

"When my opponent activates an effect or declares an attack," Olivia explained, "I can Special Summon Fragrant Peony and increase my Life Points by 1000."

(Fragrant Peony: Level 4/EARTH/Plant/ATK-300 DEF-600/Effect: When your opponent activates an effect or declares an attack, you can Special Summon this card and increase your Life Points by 1000)

"Looks like you don't know when to give up," the man muttered.

"I can commiserate with everything you've been through," Olivia replied, "but you're not the only one who has something to fight for. I can't afford to lose this duel either."

"No," he frowned. "I guess not."

"My turn!" Olivia declared, swinging her arm in a wide arc as she drew. "I activate my Equip Spell Thorn Barrier, protecting my monster from destruction once."

A collection of sharp vines slithered from underground, wrapping themselves around the delicate peony to form a cage of thorns.

(You can only equip this card to a Plant-type monster. Once per turn, when the equipped monster would be destroyed, you can destroy this card instead and inflict 800 points of damage to your opponent)

"Next," she continued, "I activate my Spell card Poison Burst! I destroy 1 monster on each side of the field. However, Thorn Barrier is destroyed instead of my monster and you take 1000 damage!"

"Good," the man said with a scowl, "but not good enough! I activate my Trap card Repel Shock! I negate the effect of Poison Burst and deal you 500 damage!"

A large cerulean bulb rose from the ground, pulsating violently before exploding and releasing toxic sludge in every direction. However, a transparent shield appeared in front of the silver fortress, shielding it and reflecting the acid back at Olivia, who gritted her teeth as she watched her Life Points fall to a critical level. (100/2800)

(While you control a Plant-type monster, target 1 card on each player's field and destroy them)

(When your opponent activates an effect that would destroy one of your monsters, negate and destroy that card and inflict 500 points of damage to your opponent)

I should've known, Olivia frowned. This man would go to any lengths to protect the things dearest to him. This monster is a momento of his wife. It's the last thing he'd let die.

"I set 2 cards," she announced. "Turn end."

"I activate my Quick Spell Shadow Talons," the man asserted. "I remove my two Dusk monsters from play to destroy your 2 set cards!"

Olivia's heart skipped a beat as two skeletal hands rose from the ground, crushing the last lines of her defense and dragging them mercilessly into the ground.

(Remove from play 2 Dusk monsters from your Graveyard. Destroy 2 set Spell or Trap cards on the field)

"At your End Phase," he continued, "Fortress will destroy your Fragrant Peony."

"Thorn Barrier will prevent its destruction and deal you 1000 damage!" Olivia shouted with a tone of chagrin.

The silver barricade unleashed another gigantic beam of light, incinerating the pink flower's shield. Even when thorns scattered in the man's direction and grazed past him, he paid them no heed and continued to glare at his opponent with determined eyes. (100/1800)

"I set 2 cards," the man said immediately after drawing. "At my End Phase, you take 1000 damage."

"From my Graveyard," Olivia shouted, "I activate my Trap card Miracle Oasis! When I control a Plant monster, I can remove it from play to increase my Life Points by 1000 and draw 1 card!"

A glistening stream of water coursed around Olivia and recovered her Life Points before she was struck with another vicious burst of energy, leaving her hanging by a thread. (100/1800)

(When a Plant-type monster is attacked by your opponent's monster, negate the attack. During either player's turn, while you control a Plant-type monster, you can remove this card in your Graveyard from play to increase your Life Points by 1000 and draw 1 card)

"Stop this futile resistance," the man said sardonically. "The sooner you give up, the less pain you'll have to endure."

"You know," Olivia replied softly, "I've been living my whole life trying to avoid pain. I didn't realize how selfish I had been, hurting others just to preserve my own sense of security."

"That's life," he growled. "It's either you hurt others or others hurt you. There's no one who will let you have your way without paying a price."

"Maybe you're right," she frowned. "Maybe there's no way that people can actually avoid inflicting pain on each other. Maybe the only way to survive in this world is to take a more assertive role. Maybe sitting back and hoping nothing bad will happen to you is a fool's dream."

"Yeah," the man grimaced. "It took me too long to realize the truth. But that's why I won't lose this duel. That's why I won't ever lose anything ever again."

"I don't completely agree with your mentality though," Olivia said. "Someone taught me that feelings of bitterness and rage aren't what make a person strong. It's the courage to overcome those feelings and use them to try to make a difference in the world."

"Bullshit," he grunted.

"I used to think so too," she murmured. "But lately, I can't seem to get that person's words out of my mind. And now, I want to try believing in something again, something I've abandoned a long time ago."

"And what's that?" the man asked, furrowing his brows.

Closing her eyes, Olivia drew the top card of her deck and raised it to her eye level. When she opened them once more, her eyes glistened as a gentle smile formed across her face.

"Hope."

Before she even played a single card, the man took a step back in fear, sensing the presence of something powerful and earth-shattering.

"I summon the Tuner monster Fragrant Iris!" Olivia declared.

Blooming from a long green stalk, a set of blue violet petals swelled and descended to form the flaps of a long dress. Then, three more petals rose from the bud, forming the head and raised arms of a gracious opera singer.

(Fragrant Iris: Level 4/EARTH/Plant/ATK-0 DEF-1400/Effect: When this card is Special Summoned, increase your Life Points by 1000)

"I'm tuning level 4 Fragrant Peony with level 4 Fragrant Iris!" Olivia announced. "Perennial petals dance along the resilient wind. Give bloom to the heiress of nature's grace! Synchro Summon! Rise forth, Terra Force Dragon!"

Olivia's two plants burrowed into the ground, leaving trails on the earth as they closed in on each other. Merging together, they created a thunderous roar as a gargantuan mound of rock surfaced, churning and rumbling slowly as the stones which comprised the boulder grinded against one another. Suddenly, the gravel exploded into pieces of flying rubble, revealing the slender, cream-colored Nature Dragon of Earth. Howling vociferously, the brown-crested dragon bared its salient fangs at its opponent. The immense amount of pressure emitted by this menacing creature was apparent in the man's petrified expression.

(Terra Force Dragon: 1 Tuner + 1 or more non-Tuners/Level 8/EARTH/Dragon/ATK 2500 DEF 2000/Effect-Once per turn, you can destroy all Spell and Trap cards on the field and increase your Life Points by 500 for each card destroyed. During your opponent's turn, you can tribute this card to negate all damage you receive until the End Phase of that turn)

"I activate Terra Force Dragon's effect!" Olivia shouted. "All your Spells and Traps are destroyed, and I gain 500 Life Points for each!"

"I activate my Trap card Umbral Mist!" the man reacted. "My monsters can't be destroyed by battle or by effect this turn and I take no damage from battles involving them!"

The sandy scaled behemoth raised its claws and slammed them into the ground, creating a massive shockwave that resonated with and shattered the man's set cards. However, one of them managed to resolve, releasing a cloud of smoky black ash on his side of the field and masking the location of his monster. (1100/1800)

(Until the End Phase of this turn, monsters you control cannot be destroyed by battle or by card effect, and you take no damage from battles involving those monsters)

"You got lucky by summoning that monster," the man growled, "but it's going to take a lot more than that to beat me. At the end of your turn, Fortress will destroy your dragon and you'll have nothing left to protect you. Not only that, but Umbral Mist will protect my monster from anything you have up your sleeve. Admit it. You've lost."

"I think I finally understand you're coming from," Olivia said, closing her eyes. "You try so hard to protect your monsters because you feel guilty for not being able to save your wife. You want to don't want any harm to come to your daughter. That's why you continue to work for them. That's why you continue to fight."

"That's right," the man replied. "I can't lose anyone I love. Never again."

"Fate really loves to spit in the face of good people, doesn't it?" she muttered weakly, tears streaming from her eyes.

"You mean-?" he gasped, his eyes widening in shock.

"Yeah," Olivia nodded as she wiped her face. "Tectonic Burst. My monster can attack directly."

Gritting his teeth as tears emerged from his eyes as well, the man fell to his knees, the blood draining from his face as he stared blankly at the night sky. Unable to bear the sight of his suffering, Olivia turned away from him, her breath becoming shaky as her chest heaved with pity.

(Target 1 Earth attribute monster you control. That monster can attack your opponent directly this turn)

"Why?" she asked dejectedly. "Why does it have to be like this?"

"I've said it before," the man whispered with defeated eyes. "Life isn't forgiving to anyone who isn't prepared to live and let die. This time, it just so happened to be me."

"But this isn't fair!" she shouted angrily. "You're not a bad person! So why do you have to go through so much pain? Why does your daughter have to live without a father?"

"We both knew what was at stake when we started this duel," he said bitterly. "We both had everything to lose. And now the deal's done. I've lost."

"I just can't accept it!" Olivia screamed. "I don't want things to end like this!"

"Well too bad!" the man shouted back. "This is life and it isn't pretty! Not everyone can have a happy ending! If you really want to show me pity, you should just hurry up and spare me the embarrassment of earning your sympathy!"

"No!" she bawled. "I can't!"

"Yes you can!" the man glared. "And you will. If you have something you need to do that you'd risk your life for, then you should be prepared to step over as many corpses as you need to. If you're this half-assed, you'll never reach your goal. If you're too scared to follow through with what you started, then end your turn and let me put you out of your misery."

"I…," she whispered, gradually calming down.

"Everybody has their story," he explained. "Mine is over and yours continues. I can only pray that yours lasts a little longer than mine. Now please do me a favor and end this quickly!"

Both remained silent as the weight of the atmosphere lifted and Olivia thought about the man's words. She knew that she couldn't die now. She had too many things to do. She wanted to seek justice for her parents. She wanted to stop this wicked organization from hurting any more people. She wanted to change this god forsaken world that brought so much pain and suffering to those who didn't deserve it.

"You're right," Olivia said softly as she sniffled and wiped her last tear. "I have an important mission. My story can't end here."

Lowering his head, the man resigned himself to his death.

"But I won't let yours end either."

"What do you mean?" he asked, raising his head once more.

"I won't let fate have the last word in this," she grimaced. "I'll find your daughter and save her from whoever's behind this. I'll shut down their whole operation. I'll make all of them pay. Then, you and your wife can rest in peace. This I promise you."

The man's widened eyes slowly closed as a weak grin of bittersweet content appeared on his face.

"Thank you."

_He's absolutely right,_ Olivia thought to herself. _Crying about how unfair this is won't solve anything. If I want anything to change, I have to be ready to face more pain and ugliness. There are many others like him out there who are suffering at the hands of these bastards. I can't be afraid. I have to do whatever is necessary to make sure no one else has to go through this ever again._

_"_Terra Force Dragon," she declared, "direct attack! Terra Firma Collision!"

Spreading its wings and taking flight, the sand-colored dragon howled in the air before descending straight down at its opponent, striking him with a catastrophic amount of force which generated a tremendous explosion of dust. After everything cleared moments later, Olivia's barrier disappeared and all that remained was the corpse of a poor man who had suffered a cruel fate. (1100/0)

Olivia slowly approached him and gazed upon his face, which wore a peaceful expression and a fragile smile. The more she looked at his lifeless body, the more her fists shook with an insatiable fury and hatred for those responsible for this tragedy.

_I swear to god, I will find the bastards who did this. I'll make sure they won't lay a finger on your daughter. And I'll make them all pay._

Kneeling down to take a closer look, Olivia noticed a sheet of paper in the man's hands. Curious, she pulled it from his fingers, unfolded it, and soon realized that it contained the man's instructions for this particular job.

"Josh Kinion," she whispered somberly to herself, "you have my complete and utter respect."

Standing back up, Olivia walked down the desolate streets with cold eyes of rage and began making her way to her next destination: Vellian City.


End file.
